How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Attorney

If you have a personal injury case on your hands, you may feel overwhelmed with all the decisions you will have to make moving forward. One of the most important choices you will have to make is what attorney you will hire to represent your case. Your personal injury attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks is here to help narrow down what factors are of importance, when selecting the right lawyer. While some lawyers may seem like the right fit, Gibbons Law Firm has provided some helpful ways to tell which one is best for you and your personal injury case near the Lake of the Ozarks.

Record With Personal Injury Cases

When choosing a legal professional to represent your case, find an attorney with a high success record for personal injury cases. Inquire about the law office’s previous cases to get a good idea of what range of services they offer. Try to find an attorney that has represented personal injury cases before and been successful!

Personality Check

It’s a great idea to schedule a consultation with the lawyer you intend to use. This is the ideal opportunity to ensure your personalities click and you feel comfortable sharing everything about your case in order for the attorney to best represent your side. You can also get a good feel for the type of law office environment in which they work. Try to find a legal professional who has adequate resources to fully research your case, giving you the best chance of success.

Personal Injury Case Experience

Don’t underestimate experience when selecting the right attorney for your personal injury case. Try to find someone who has a wide range of experience representing personal injury AND other cases in the area. As a seasoned lawyer and litigator, Roger Gibbons provides sound legal advice with a wide range of experience to back it up!

Objective Point Of View

When working with a personal injury case, it’s important that you are clear with your legal professional on what your goals are, when taking your case to trial. While working toward reaching your legal goals, ensure your attorney is being objective and working diligently to represent your case.

Great Negotiation Skills

The majority of personal injury cases settle outside of trial. Find an attorney to present your case who has a high level of negotiation skills. It’s important to get the most out of your case to help compensate the injury you’ve suffered. Hire an attorney who has negotiation experience to best represent your personal injury case.

Now that you know a few of the areas of importance, when it comes to choosing the right lawyer to represent your personal injury case, you’re prepared to make your selection. With a proven track record and the experience and skills you need to defend your rights, the team at Gibbons Law Firm is here for you! If you’ve experienced a personal injury and want to seek settlement, give our Lake of the Ozarks law office a call to schedule an initial consultation today!

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.

3 Common Misconceptions About Criminal Defense

As Americans, we have a basic responsibility not to harm one another. We also all have a fundamental right to be treated fairly and justly even if we do inflict harm on others or perform other illegal activity. Criminal defense is the branch of law dedicated specifically to ensuring that those who break the law are given fair treatment. Despite its importance, the field of criminal law is commonly misrepresented and misunderstood. This week, our criminal defense attorney in Lake Ozark MO is here to shed some light on a few lesser-known aspects of criminal defense.

TV Doesn't Know Everything

Before we look at some of the specific aspects of criminal defense that most people are not familiar with, we want to take a moment to acknowledge where this lack of accurate familiarity and education comes from: the media. The legal arena is an extremely popular subject for TV shows, movies, and other forms of entertainment. For the sake of making their stories more intriguing, it is not uncommon for directors, producers, and actors to overplay, misrepresent, or distort the way something would occur in real life. 

Unfortunately, laypeople watching these movies, TV shows, etc have no way of knowing which aspects of the legal arena are represented accurately and which ones are distorted. As a result, many laypeople are not only uneducated about the way legal proceedings are typically handled - they may be unknowingly misinformed by their favorite sources of entertainment.

3 Things Some People Don't Know About Criminal Defense

Whether as a result of direct misinformation from the media or a general lack of education, there are many things people get wrong about the world of criminal defense. Here is a quick look at the the truth behind some common misconceptions about criminal defense.

1. Trials Take Hours Upon Hours Of Preparation
The image of an attorney calmly and casually strolling into court on the day of a trial may be a popular one, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. Criminal trials require hours and hours of intense preparation. Experienced attorneys dig through the facts again and again, examining the evidence and looking at all the details from every possible angle. We memorize everything we can about the case, and we make lists of questions we intend to ask witnesses. In short, we do everything we can to make sure we can present the evidence in favor of our client's position.

2. Good Attorneys Do Not Hide Or Tamper With Evidence
While we do our best to present the evidence in a light that favors our client's position, it is important to note that a good, trustworthy criminal defense attorney does not in any way tamper with or hide the evidence that is presented. The media likes to portray shady situations wherein attorneys and clients try to mask certain pieces of evidence. However, any criminal attorney worth his salt won't have to resort to such a poor, dishonest practice. We acknowledge and respect all evidence brought to the table - and we examine it further to see if there is perhaps a different perspective or interpretation that deserves attention.

3. All Attorneys Are Not Created Equal
Finally, it is important to recognize that your experience with one attorney will likely be drastically different than your experience with another. Like professionals in all industries, some attorneys are significantly more skilled and experienced than their peers. Building a successful case requires a great deal of attention to detail, and effectively navigating the rigors of litigation demands skill and prowess. When selecting an attorney to represent you, take the time to learn his history. If you aren't impressed with his track record, don't be afraid to look elsewhere for the representation you need.

Gibbons Law Firm Is Here For You

With a proven track record in criminal defense at the Lake of the Ozarks, the team at Gibbons Law Firm has the experience and skill you need to defend your rights. If you are facing criminal charges and looking for a criminal defense attorney in Mid-Missouri, we hope you'll consider scheduling an initial consultation with our firm.

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.

5 Things Employers Need To Know About Workplace Privacy Laws

As a business owner, you are likely well aware that the success of your company will largely depend on the quality of your employees. Their conduct both on and off the clock will impact multiple aspects of your business, including customer satisfaction, the quality of your product/services, and your company's overall reputation.

With so much at stake, the urge to monitor your employees' behavior is natural and expected. However, employees have a basic rights to personal privacy that you, as the employer, must respect. Violating these rights not only reflects poorly on you as an employer/business owner - it may also result in legal consequences. This week, our employment attorney in Lake Ozark, MO is here to help you understand some general guidelines about workplace privacy laws.

Things Employers Need To Know About Workplace Privacy

1. If You Own It, You Can Search It.
As an employer, you rarely (if ever) have the right to search your employees' personal belongings or devices. However, if your company owns the items in question, you have a right to search it if you believe you may find evidence that your employee is violating the law or your company's policies. Cars, laptops, phones, and other electronic devices are examples of items that you may be able to search.

2. You Can Listen In, But Not In Secret.

Employees are generally not allowed to take extended personal calls on office phone lines, for obvious reasons. Supervisors are typically allowed to monitor corporate calls to ensure that employees are handling client calls appropriately and that they aren't violating the company's rules about personal phone calls. However, it is wise to make sure that your employees know that you may choose to listen in on phone calls occasionally. Having new hires sign a waiver expressing this understanding may be a smart practice.

3. You Can Monitor Employees' Web Usage.
If your employees waste hours per week (or per day) browsing the web in ways that aren't related to work, they're not only hurting your company's overall productivity - they are essentially stealing from you by taking payment for time that was not spent working. Understandably, you may wish to monitor and, if necessary, restrict your employees' web usage while on company premises. Social media sites and sites containing adult content are common examples of websites that employers may choose to block. Generally speaking, blocking these sites from your employees' individual browsers or from your company's entire internet network is within your rights.

4. Off The Clock Is Out Of Your Jurisdiction.
Employees are crucial to the life of your business, but they are entitled to lives of their own as well. What your employees choose to do when they are not on the clock is their own business. You are not allowed to monitor their web activity, texts, or phone calls when they are off the clock, for example, nor are you allowed to track where they go or whom they spend time with. 

5. It's Better To Be Better Safe Than Sorry.
As a general rule, you are welcome to closely monitor employees while they are on the clock, on company premises, or using the company's belongings. However, when they are on their own time or using their own items, it is best to give their privacy a wide berth. 

If you have questions about whether or not certain searches or monitoring efforts are within your legal rights, don't hesitate to reach out to our employment lawyer at the Lake of the Ozarks. We can evaluate your specific situation to determine the best course of action. It is better to be proactive than to risk violating privacy laws!

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.

Divorce: 4 Do's & 4 Don'ts

Divorce is one of the most challenging, emotional, and stressful processes anyone can undertake. No matter how you and/or your spouse came to the decision that divorce was necessary, you can expect to face frustrations, arguments, and strong emotions during the process.

However, there are certain things you can do that may help simplify the process. Today, our divorce lawyer in Camden County, MO is here to look at some of the things you can do to ease the divorce process, as well as some behaviors and actions that should be avoided.

When navigating a divorce, DO...

• Cooperate as much as possible. There's no need to make things harder on yourselves by arguing over unimportant details.
• Fully disclose your assets and property. If the court discovers that you have hidden assets, they may start the entire process over again from the beginning (and you may face consequences for your actions). 
• Support your children's continued relationship with your spouse. You may have chosen to separate from your spouse, but your children haven't necessarily come to the same decision. Don't make things harder on your little ones by demanding that they pick sides.
  
• Ask your attorney to clarify anything you don't understand. Your attorney works for you. If you have questions or concerns at any point in the process, don't hesitate to address them with your lawyer.

When navigating a divorce, DON'T...

• Hide (or hide your children) from your spouse. If you disappear prior to filing for divorce (or at some point during the divorce proceedings), your spouse may hire law enforcement to track you down. This type of disappearance may hurt your case during a custody battle. (The possible exception to this rule is if you believe you or your children are endangered by your spouse. If this situation applies to you, contact our attorney immediately to determine your best option.)
• Make big life changes until your divorce is finalized. It is impossible to predict exactly how long divorce proceedings will take. Don't make any commitments to begin a new job or move to a different area until after the process is finalized.
• Violate temporary custody agreements. If you violate temporary custody orders, the court may give primary custody privileges to your spouse.
• Use your children as leverage. Custody and visitation rights are their own issues. You cannot leverage time with the children as a way to manipulate your spouse. Not only will it not get you the results you want - it may result in your own custody privileges being result.

Contact Us If You Need Representation

Divorce can be a challenging process, but having an experienced Lake of the Ozarks divorce lawyer on your side can make the process much easier. If you are in the middle of (or think you may soon face) a divorce, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our law firm in Lake Ozark, MO. 

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.