When a person recovers money rightfully owed to him or her as a result of a personal injury settlement or award, it’s important to take proper steps to avoid being victimized after the case is over.
In April 2018, a woman was shot and killed during a Zion home invasion in a bold attempt to steal the money she was awarded in a lawsuit settlement.
This scenario is more common, although not often as violent, as you might think.
Laird Ozmon, a dedicated personal injury attorney at Ozmon Law in Joliet, knows his job is not done once a settlement or award has been secured for his client.
Personal injury attorneys need to make sure they ask all of the right questions to ensure clients are getting the best advice to handle the compensation.
A personal injury settlement or award can be viewed by others as the equivalent of winning the lottery. These clients can often face new perils – such as protecting the financial proceeds from their case.
Protecting younger, mentally impaired or potentially spendthrift plaintiffs from themselves and others is often a serious consideration.
A structured settlement can have significant beneficial tax benefits that can be lost if not coordinated with the defendant(s) before any checks are issued.
It gets even more complicated when clients receive a large sum of money and their settlement or award is publicized. This can trigger a potentially life-changing event.
Clients are best advised to maintain their privacy and protect the confidentiality of their settlement or award.
Nothing should ever be posted on any social media platform advertising participation in a lawsuit – especially not conveying any favorable result.
Good trial lawyers always look out for their clients, even when their case has been resolved!