She was an elected official, but now, that role it is just one of the many memories she has lost. In 1981, your grandmother was the first elected female mayor of her town. Her husband, your grandfather, was the chief surgeon of the hospital in the town. They had 10 children and lived in that painted lady of a home, The one with the pink trim.
Now, however, she struggles to remember even the name of the youngest daughter who visits on a regular basis. After all of her years of public service, your grandmother now relies on doctors and nurses for the care that she needs. As a family, your mother and her siblings had to rely on an estate attorney to help navigate the challenges of moving your grandmother out of her house. Complicated by the fact that your grandmother has one son who is need of constant care because of mental disabilities, the estate attorney was able to set up a trust for this son’s care, designate monies for your grandmother’s care, and move the other money into an account that could be divided among the rest of the siblings at some point.
When you and your younger sister used to visit your grandmother during the summer, you would go to the local park, the mall, and, if you were good, you would stop by Daisy Sweet to get some ice cream. That bow belongs to another family, but you are confident that plans are in place to make sure that your grandmother will be well cared for as long as she needs it.
Litigation Attorneys and Other Legal Advisers Offer a Number of Necessary Services
When many people think of attorneys they imagine a suited legal representative arguing for more money for large corporations. The fact of the matter is, however, there are also a number of attorneys who serve other purposes. From helping families understand the necessary steps to selling a home, moving money into an estate or a trust, for instance, many of life’s biggest challenges would seem overwhelming.
Research from a 2005 review of civil cases filed in state courts, in fact, found that plaintiffs win bench trials 68% of the time and 54% of the time in jury trials. Knowing when to get this advice often determines success. And while many Americans might focus on facts from the American Arbitration Association that show the largest case resolved by one arbitrator as a claim of $232 million. The reality is that there is another end of the spectrum as well. In fact, the smallest case, which was resolved by a panel of just three arbitrators, was a claim for just $23,000. Large construction and employment law firms may be the ones making the news, but smaller estate attorneys offer valuable services as well.
When you look at the situation that your family is going through you cannot help but wonder how many other families struggle with similar situations. Without the help of knowledgeable attorneys your family would have struggled to care for an aging grandmother, a dependent adult, and navigate the other estate needs.