Texas Lawyers Blog

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The Texas Lawyers Blog provides useful information on the law and Texas lawyers. For more information on this Blog or a legal topic, please feel free to submit an inquiry or send an e-mail message to blog@texaslawyers.com

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Child Injury Button Battery Lawsuits Are Being Filed Against Toy and other Product Manufacturers Who Are Selling Dangerous Products by Texas Button Battery Lawyer

Button Battery Lawsuits Are Being Filed Against Defective Toy and Dangerous Product Manufacturers and Distributors

Texas button battery lawyer, Jason Coomer is a defective toys and products attorney. Many defective toys and products designed for infants and small children use button batteries. Infants and small children can remove and ingest these small batteries from defective products. Ingestion of button batteries can result in potential health risks. These defective toys and products can cause devastating life long injuries or death to infants and young children. Parents that carefully select toys and products can avoid injury or death to their infants and small children. Button battery ingestion by an infant or small child that has resulted in injury or death requires appropriate action. Other infants and small children can avoid injury or death if parents report these dangerous products. Therefore, the makers and distributors of these defective products should be notified through a Texas button battery lawyer.

Has a button battery from a defective product caused you to lose a child or caused injuries to your child? A Texas button battery lawyer may be able to help you recover your damages. Moreover, the law could entitle you to compensation. Feel free to submit an inquiry or send an e-mail message to Texas defective product button battery lawyer, Jason Coomer.

Button Battery Lawyer in Texas: Top and bottom of a small button battery.

Product Liability Lawsuits Filed by Texas Button Battery Lawyers Can Help Protect Infants and Small Children From Defective Products

Defective button battery toys, Christmas ornaments, flash lights, and other child products can cause injuries or death. Button battery use in many types of products has increased. As a result, infants and small children have an increased risk of swallowing a battery. Lithium button batteries are small but they contain a powerful dose of toxic materials. These toxic materials can cause substantial life long injuries or even death. Some of the toys have battery compartments that are easily accessible to small children. Children under five years of age have an especially concerning and problematic risk.

In these situations, a child can take the batteries out of the toy or other device, then swallow the battery. Once swallowed or ingested, button batteries can create corrosive chemicals when combined with a child's internal tissues. This can result in the child suffering serious injuries or even fatal injuries. Consequently, manufacturers of defective button battery products have had recent lawsuits filed against them. Most noteworthy, are instances where manufactures have negligently created serious hazards for infants and young children. Furthermore, a Texas button battery lawyer can help protect other children from defective products by filing a defective product lawsuit.

Product Liability Lawsuits (Defective Toys, Cribs, Bassinets, and Child Car Seats)

Product liability lawsuits have helped protect other infants and small children from defective products. So, defective toys, cribs, bassinets, flammable pajamas, and car seats have been the subject of past litigation. These lawsuits have resulted in recalls of cribs and bassinets sold from 1995 to 2005. The manufacturers produced different types of problematic hardware used on some cribs. Furthermore, the hardware included safety pegs for one type of cribs and spring pegs for another. As a result, either can create a hazard if not properly installed. Consequently, the drop side of the cribs can fall and disengage, creating a gap that can entrap and suffocate infants.

Lead-tainted toys and children's products can also create hazards for small children. As such, there have been several recalls of toys and children's products that contain lead-levels in excess of allowable amounts. Some of these lead-tainted items range from toys to products children put directly in their mouths, such as baby pacifiers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission's website lists potentially dangerous or recalled products. A recent recall includes toys which contain magnets in small flexible parts of the product sets that can detach. Furthermore, young children can find the magnets then swallow or aspirate the hazardous parts. Multiple magnets can cause intestinal perforations or blockages. As a result, serious or fatal injuries can occur.

It is important to check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website. Above all, make sure that the products that you are buying are safe and have no known safety defects.

Product Liability Claims (Defective Food Products)

Defective imports from China have recently been in the news. The FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China. These dangerous chemicals had tainted some human and pet food. Imports have become more common in recent years. As a result, safety regulations of foreign products have become an increasing concern. Most noteworthy, are the concerns with food products and toys for infants and young children.

Studies revealed that babies fed formula made from powder tainted with a toxic chemical called Melamine had developed kidney stones. Melamine levels were dangerously high in Chinese milk products. Reports from official news agencies stated that at least four babies have died. Furthermore, at least 53,000 other children have fallen ill. Melamine added illegally to watered-down milk raised its apparent protein count. The tainted food products included milk products, like yogurt and cookies. In response to these dangerous products, there were product recalls and export bans around the world.

Also, Melamine had tainted chicken eggs. Because, the protein count of chicken feed was falsified by using the toxic chemical. In Hong Kong, government officials reported finding another batch of eggs from mainland China that had high levels of melamine. The announcement followed reports of two other tainted batches of eggs.

It is important to check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website. Above all, make sure that the products that you are buying are safe and have no known safety defects.

Defective Button Battery Lawyer in Texas (Product Liability Lawyers)

Texas button battery lawyer, Jason Coomer, represents families that have suffered the loss or significant injury of a loved one. Take action if you are aware of a child that has suffered injuries from swallowing a button battery. Jason Coomer commonly works with other defective button battery lawyers and other product liability lawyers throughout the United States. If you have a question about a product liability claim and need a button battery lawyer in Texas, contact Texas button battery lawyer Jason Coomer. He is a product liability lawyer in Texas.

More product liability information here.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Protecting Family Wealth Through Inheritance by Texas Wealth Protection Lawyer

Protecting Family Wealth Through Inheritance by Texas Wealth Protection Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Many Texas families will lose significant wealth by failing to protect their valuable assets through inheritance. There are many common situations whereby Texas families lose substantial wealth.  Understanding some of these potential traps can help Texas families protect their wealth through generational transfers.

Texas Families Commonly Lose Wealth Through Inheritance Issues in the Transfer of Real Property

For most Texas families, their house or other real property is their main wealth.  Unfortunately, many of these families lose significant wealth through inheritance issues and stuck real property.  The inheritance issues begin after a property owner dies.  If the property owner did not have a well thought out estate plan, inheritance issues commonly arise.  These inheritance issues commonly create title issues which causes property to become stuck.  As a result of these title issues, the family cannot transfer or sell the real property.  Typically, the stuck property will be lost as it cannot be sold, transferred, or mortgaged.  Thus, the surviving family commonly cannot afford to maintain the stuck property and the family loses wealth.

Texas Families Commonly Lose Wealth By Failing to Keep Track of and Communicate Regarding Investments and Accounts

In other situations, families lose wealth by not keeping track of investments.  In these situations, a loved one dies or becomes incompetent without keeping track of or communicating information about an account or investment.  The family then loses track or control of the investment or account.  Not surprisingly the bank, oil company, or other large corporation who has the wealth does not seek out heirs or beneficiaries.  In fact, in many situations a large company will not communicate with the family about the account or investment after a loved one dies.  Through these situations, families commonly lose mineral interests, stocks, and investment accounts.  Unfortunately, third parties are commonly very successful in stealing from dead people.

Communication and Basic Estate Planning Can Help Prevent Loss of Family Wealth

Basic estate planning and communication can help prevent loss of wealth.  However, please keep in mind there is no magic solution for preventing the loss of family wealth.  Each family’s battle to protect their wealth will be different depending on their assets and the makeup of their families.  Further, common estate planning vehicles including Wills, Trusts, non-Probate assets, and survivorship assets all have their unique issues.  Understanding the pros and cons of each type of estate planning method can help prevent loss.

Texas Wealth Protection Lawyers help families prevent this loss.  They work with families after the loss of a loved one to claim and protect wealth.  For more information on this topic, please go to the following webpages: Texas Real Estate and Inheritance Law Firm Information, Texas Family Inheritance Lawyer Information, and Texas Real Estate Probate Lawyer Information.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Protecting Family Wealth after the Death of a Loved One by Texas Family Wealth Lawyer

Protecting Family Wealth including Texas Real Property after the Death of a Loved One Can Be Difficult by Texas Family Wealth Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

For many families the vast majority of their wealth is in real property.  This wealth can often become trapped and lost when one of the owners of the real property passes away.  Several dangers exist including estranged heirs, minor children heirs or beneficiaries, unknown heirs, and heirs or beneficiaries on public assistance.  Understanding these potential traps can help a family avoid losing significant wealth.

Texas Real Property Transfers Into The Estate of a Deceased Owner  

In Texas, if a person dies owning real property, their real property typically transfers immediately into their estate.  This transfer can cause a variety of issues for co-owners as well as people living in the deceased's real property.  In many situations, the family of the deceased is unable to refinance, sell, or transfer real property after the loss of a loved one.

Transferring Texas Real Property Out of an Estate of a Deceased Owner 

Once real property is transferred into an estate, the trick is knowing how to transfer Texas real property out of an estate to the deceased's rightful heirs or beneficiaries.  This transfer is commonly done through a Will probate hearing, suit to determine heirs, or affidavit of heirship.  However, each type of potential transfer has its limitations and costs.  The affidavit of heirship is typically the easiest and least expensive, however, it has several limitations.

For more information on protecting family wealth and transferring Texas real property, please go to the following web page: Clearing Title to Texas Real Property and Businesses.




Monday, September 2, 2019

Texas Mineral Interest Transfers and Other Texas Inherited Real Property Often Require An Ancillary Probate by Texas Mineral Interest Lawyer

Texas Mineral Interest Transfers and Other Texas Inherited Real Property Transfers Often Require An Ancillary Probate in Texas to Transfer Title by Texas Mineral Interest Lawyer and Texas Inheritance Lawyer Jason Coomer

Many wealth families have decided to purchase Texas real property including Texas mineral interests, Texas lake houses, Texas condos, Texas ranches, and Texas beach houses.  These investments on the whole have been very lucrative over the past 20 to 40 years.  That being said, when the owner of Texas real property passes away, their Texas real property transfers into their estate.  This transfer can become an issue when the owner does not reside in Texas.

Texas mineral interests and other Texas real property often require an ancillary Probate to be transferred out of a non-Texas estate.  As such, lawyers and families throughout the United States and the World commonly have to hire a Texas lawyer to help transfer Texas wealth out of an out of state estate.  For information on transferring Texas mineral interests and working with a Texas lawyer to transfer inherited Texas wealth, please go to the following web pages:



Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Texas Lost Wealth Information: Seeking an Investment, Savings, and Wealth from Financial Professionals by Texas Lost Wealth Lawyer

Texas Lost Wealth Information: Seeking Back an Investment, Savings, and Wealth from Financial Advisors, Investment Brokers, Wealth Managers and other Financial Professionals by Texas Lost Wealth Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

It is a common occurrence, a family decides that they want to invest or protect their wealth and seeks assistance from a financial professional.  As such, they go to a financial advisor, wealth manager, investment broker, or other financial professional for advice and to invest their wealth.  After receiving several statements regarding their investments, they notice that a significant amount of wealth is missing or even worse their investment is gone.  In other situations, the family is no longer to obtain information regarding the account because the wealth is transferred to a new financial professional, new security protocols are put in place by the financial institute, or the family member who invested the money has passed away.  In many of these situations, the bank, financial advisor, broker, wealth manager, or other financial professional starts acting like it is their wealth and not the wealth of your family.

What do to When Wealth is Taken by a Financial Professional?

The first step in reclaiming wealth is to gather proof of what wealth existed in the past, what wealth should currently exist, and who owned the wealth.  The best evidence to prove the existence and ownership of wealth are typically copies of past account statements or inventories.  These account statements or inventories can be hard copy or sometimes can be obtained electronically.  Though commonly difficult to read, these account statements are usually a great starting point to prove the existence of wealth.  Communications with and any contracts with financial professionals as well as transfer documents are also important and can be useful. 

The second step is to make copies of these documents.  The copy will be a working copy that can be highlighted and written on to identify important information and proof.  Overall, the goal is to keep the original documents clean from highlighting and writing as they may be needed for future litigation.  Further, it is extremely important not to send original documents to anyone else while seeking back your wealth.  A common trap is for companies is to request documents to prove ownership and then when the original documents are sent the original documents are lost and the person seeking wealth no longer has proof of ownership or existence.

The third step is to determine what wealth was taken.  Sometimes it is clear what wealth has been taken such as two statements that show 10,000 shares of stock are missing from a transfer and from the statements a specific date, time, and amount of lost wealth can be determined.  At other times it is not always clear how much wealth has been taken.  It is typically best to make two categories of missing wealth including 1) the wealth that can be shown was clearly taken and value that can be easily determined and 2) the wealth that might have been taken or may be difficult to determine value.  For the each category, it is best to tally the amounts. 

The fourth step is to contact the bank, financial advisor, wealth manager, or investment broker for an explanation as to the status of the wealth.  It is often best to make sure that there is a record of all communications that are made.  For telephone communications, it can be helpful to write down the date, telephone number, and full name of the person that was involved.  It is often also beneficial to obtain an e-mail address, fax number, and address for follow up communications.

The fifth step is to obtain an explanation from the financial professional.  A written explanation is best as you have a record as to what happened to the wealth. If the financial professional will not provide a written explanation, it can be helpful to send a follow up written communication that on X date X advised that this is what happened to my missing wealth. 

The sixth step is to determine if the explanation is reasonable or if a formal demand and potentially litigation is necessary.

Texas Investment Fraud Lawyer and Texas Wealth Management Fraud Lawyer

Sometimes there is a simple explanation for missing wealth, however, at other times wealth is taken by financial professionals and financial institutes when they believe that they can get away with the theft.  If you believe you or your family has lost significant wealth through investment fraud, financial professional fraud, negligence, or breach of fiduciary duty, it is important to gather and review your financial records to determine what has happened to your family's wealth.  If you are unable to obtain a satisfactory explanation, it may be time to contact a lawyer to explore potential litigation to reclaim your family's wealth.  For more information on Texas Investment Fraud Lawsuits and Texas Financial Professional Fraud Claims, please go to the following web pages: Texas Wealth Manager Fraud Lawyer, Texas Investment Fraud Lawyer, and Texas Elder Financial Fraud Lawyer.

 

Friday, July 12, 2019

Texas Inheritance Law Information For Families Unfamiliar With Texas Probate Law by Central Texas Inheritance Lawyer

Texas Inheritance Law Information For Families Unfamiliar With Texas Probate Law by Central Texas Inheritance Lawyer Jason Coomer

Texas Inheritance Law for families unfamiliar with probate can be extremely difficult.  Not only have they lost a loved one, but they also often have to navigate Texas courts, financial records, insurance companies, deed records, and banks.  Further, some have to deal with upset and sometimes aggressive family members as well as other greedy people who are attempting to claim wealth from the deceased loved one.  Understanding the basics of Texas Inheritance Law and when it is time to call a lawyer can be extremely helpful in navigating this difficult time.  Below are a few basic concepts and answers to basic questions that can helpful.

Common Texas Will and Probate Questions

What is a Will and is it necessary?

A Will is a document which states the intentions and wishes of a person to take place after their death including what happens to and who gets their wealth.  A Will is not necessary under Texas law, but if you do not have a Will and you die, your wealth is distributed according to Texas law and this can sometimes result in increased legal costs to determine heirs and unintended estranged heirs or laughing heirs receiving large amounts of inheritance.  If you have significant wealth, want specific loved ones to receive it, and want your loved ones to have fewer legal expenses after you pass; it is best to have a Will.

Should I write a Will myself or use a "do it yourself" Will kit? 

The complexity of a Will can very greatly from a short hand written Will called a "Holographic Will" to a several page complex Will that creates testamentary trusts and has several contingencies.  Overall, if you have significant wealth, it is often best to contact an estate planning attorney to answer questions, draft the Will, and explain specific options and potential traps.  In handling probate cases, I have run into several "do it yourself" Wills and Holographic Wills that have caused 1) significant controversies in families resulting in legal battles, 2) unintended consequences caused by transfers to minors, wards, or persons on social security disability, and 3) complete legal messes and trapped wealth requiring several attorneys and court appointed ad litems to resolve.  In short, be careful if you have significant wealth and decide to do it yourself.  Saving money in the present can cost significant amounts to your loved ones in the future.  

Does a Will need to be filed? 

No, if the person who passed has little to no wealth or all their wealth has passed through a Trust, non-probate assets, or other means, there may not be a reason to probate a Will.  However, if a person has a valid Will and wealth in their estate including real property their Will should typically be filed for probate.

Does a Reading of the Will need to take place?  

No, this is a Hollywood myth.  Normally, there is no reading of a Will.  The Will be filed for Probate and all beneficiaries in the Will should receive a copy of the Will pursuant to Texas law.  An unnecessary reading of a Will can result in some extremely difficult and awkward situation.  That being said, many family members review Wills together and can cooperate in agreeing how to handle the probate process.  

What is an Executor? 

An executor or executrix is a person who is named in a Will to manage the deceased's estate, fulfill the deceased's wishes, and follow Texas legal requirements regarding legal notices and inventories.  An executor or executrix will not be appointed until a Will is probated and letters of testamentary are issued.  In other words, a person named as executor has no power or authority until a Will is probated and they are appointed.

An executor or executrix should be a responsible person that you trust.  They do not have to be a resident of Texas, but they have to be a competent person over the age of 18 years of good character who is not a convicted felon.

Most people who are named as an executor or executrix hire a lawyer to represent them in Probate court and to ensure that they comply with legal duties.  The person who serves as executor or executrix can be removed or sued for breach of fiduciary duty if they to not follow the Will or Texas law.  The estate will typically pay the executor's or executrix's attorney's fees and costs.

Contested v. Uncontested Probate 

There are two type of probate lawsuits contested and uncontested.  Uncontested probate lawsuits include Will probate lawsuits and Suits to Determine Heirships where there is no dispute between the heirs or beneficiaries regarding who gets what and the value and validity of estate assets or estate debts.  It is typically best to have a Texas probate lawyer, if you are filing an uncontested probate lawsuit.  Contested lawsuits include Texas Will Contests, Texas Breach of Fiduciary Duty Lawsuits, Texas Real Estate Partition Lawsuits, Texas Financial Elder Abuse Lawsuits, and Texas Inherited Business Lawsuits.  A Texas probate lawyer is almost always needed and highly recommended, if you are in a contested probate lawsuit.

Contingent, Hourly, and Hybrid Attorney Contracts

Most Texas probate lawyers work on hourly contracts where the family of a deceased has to pay the lawyer a retainer and then the lawyer bills against the retainer until it is depleted, then additional money will need to be paid if additional work needs to be done.

However, in some situations family assets cannot get transferred or collected by their rightful heirs or beneficiaries because the heirs and beneficiaries cannot afford the upfront cost of probate and other transfer costs. In these situations, a Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer who works on a contingent or hybrid contract is needed to help heirs and beneficiaries transfer estate property to rightful heirs and beneficiaries.  In these situations, the Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer will typically need to see evidence that there are actual significant assets in the estate and confirm that the potential clients are the rightful heirs and beneficiaries of the estate. In these cases, bank statements, life insurance policies, royalty statements, mutual fund statements, retirement fund statements, real property deeds, property tax information, and other evidence of the estate assets can be useful in determining the approximate value of the estate and if a contingent contract for probating the estate can be viable.  For more information on Texas Contingent and Hybrid Probate Lawsuits, please feel free to go to the following web page:  Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer and Texas Death Benefit Collection Lawyer.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Valsartan Cancer Health Risk: Persons Taking Valsartan Should Be Aware of Several FDA Recalls on Tainted Valsartan Medications that May Cause Cancer by Texas Valsartan Cancer Lawyer

Valsartan Cancer Health Risk: Persons Taking The Generic High Blood Pressure Medication Valsartan Should Be Aware of Several FDA Recalls on Tainted Valsartan Medications that May Cause Cancer and Other Health Issues by Texas Valsartan Cancer Lawyer Jason S. Coomer 

The drug high blood pressure medication, Valsartan, has been under a recall worldwide because it was tainted with a known carcinogen, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).  Persons who have been taking Valsartan since 2012 should be aware of the recall and consult their pharmacist, physician, and/or the FDA if they have any questions regarding the recall or if they think they have a tainted drug.  Additional information regarding this recall is also listed below on this web page.  Further, if you or a loved one has been taking Valsartan and have have been diagnosed with cancer, liver damage, or tumors, you should contact your health care provide to discuss the potential cause of your health issues as well as report the adverse action to the prescribing medical doctor and FDA as soon as possible.  For more information on the recalls, please go to the following web page: Valsartan Cancer Health Risk Information.



Saturday, July 6, 2019

Weed Killer Lymphatic Cancer Health Alert: Recent Studies Have Shown Some Herbicides May Cause Lymphatic Cancer by Texas Lymphatic Cancer Lawyer

Weed Killer Lymphatic Cancer Health Alert: Recent Studies Have Show Herbicides including Roundup Weed Killer Are Probably Carcinogenic and May Cause Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma by Texas Lymphatic Cancer Lawyer Jason Coomer 

Recent scientific studies have determined several herbicides including Roundup weed killer and other weed killing products containing glyphosate are probably carcinogenic to humans.  Further, recent civil lawsuits have proven that these weed killers may cause Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and other forms of lymphatic cancer.  For this reason, people who have been regularly exposed to herbicides including  farmers, agricultural workers, horticulturists, groundskeepers, commercial gardeners, ranchers, and anyone else who has regularly used Roundup or other weed killers with glyphosate should be aware of this health risk.  Further, if these exposed people or their families suspect they may have lymphatic cancer, they should contact their health care provider to test if they may have lymphatic cancer.  For more information on this topic, please go to the following web pages: Texas Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Lawyer and Texas Lymphatic Cancer Lawyer.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma NHL and Lymphatic Cancer

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a term for various different types of cancer of the lymphatic system that results from lymphocytes or white blood cells which have undergone genetic changes. The condition presents as enlarged lymph nodes without pain, abdominal pain or swelling, chest pain, cough, and weight loss.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can cause many symptoms, such as:
  • Swollen, painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin;
  • Soaking night sweats;
  • Coughing, trouble breathing or chest pain;
  • Weakness and tiredness that don't go away; 
  • Unexplained weight loss;
  • Fever; and
  • Pain, swelling or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen
A physician can typically diagnose lymphatic cancer including Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma NHL with a physical exam, blood tests, a chest x-ray, and a biopsy. Choice of treatment is based on the type, stage, and severity of lymphoma and overall health of the patient.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Loss of Family Wealth in Texas and Throughout the United States is on the Rise by Texas Family Wealth Lawyer

Many Texas Families are Losing a Significant Amount of Wealth Through Elder Financial Abuse and Failed Multigenerational Transfers by Texas Family Wealth Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

A significant amount of family wealth is lost every year through failed multigenerational transfers, lack of information, and financial elder abuse. This loss of family wealth is estimated to be over $50 Billion each year.   This loss of family wealth is especially common in several situations including 1) families who are spread out throughout the United States or the World, 2) families faced with a sudden loss of the person controlling the family's wealth, and 3) families who become victims of fraudsters and ruthless opportunists who take wealth from the elderly or those with diminished capacity.

In many of these situations, an experienced family wealth lawyer can help prevent the loss of wealth and in some situations can help reclaim wealth.  For more information on this topic, please go to the following web pages: Texas Out of State Probate and Inheritance Lawyer Information, Texas Probate and Inheritance Lawyer Information, and Texas Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer Information.

In the State of Texas alone billions of dollars in bank accounts, oil royalties, insurance money, safety deposit box contents, stocks, retirement funds, real estate, and other wealth is stolen, forgotten about, becomes lost, or is unclaimed.

Most Elder Financial Abuse Involves a Family Member, Caretaker, Stock Broker, Financial Planner, or Financial Adviser by Texas Guardian Fraud Lawyer, Texas Power of Attorney Fraud Lawyer, Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Fraud Lawyer and Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer 

A recent study has found that Financial Elder Abuse and financial fraud against the elderly are on the rise.  Further, that most elder financial abuse crimes involve a family member, financial planner, financial adviser, or caretaker.  This elder financial abuse and fraud is most commonly committed against woman over 80 years old.  This financial exploitation of elderly persons can include changes in investments; buying real property and vehicles for people; large cash withdraws; selling inherited real estate; gifting mineral interests; excessive use of ATM or credit cards; unnatural changes in a will, power of attorney, beneficiary designations or financial documents; documents signed under duress; theft of valuables or money; transfers of money, mineral interests, oil royalties, or assets; forgery of checks, financial transaction documents, or other documents; isolation from family, friends, community, or other stable relationships; and use of medications to subdue the elderly person.

For more information on elder financial abuse, please go to the following web page: The United States of Elder Fraud – How Prevalent is Elder Financial Abuse in Each State? 

Many Families have Spread Out Across The United States and Throughout the World, Therefore it is Often Helpful to Hire a Texas Probate Lawyer to Assist with the Texas Probate Process and to Handle Estate Issues

Many families have spread out throughout the United States and around the World.  For the family member that lives out of state and has never been through the Texas probate process, it can often be challenging to understand what should be done under Texas probate law.  At a time when they want to grieve the loss of their loved one, they are often forced to deal with difficult issues including:

    1) Who should be in control of their loved ones' estate?
    2) What needs to be done to have an administrator or executor appointed?
    3) What are probate & non-probate property?
    4)  What should be done to protect estate property?
    5)  Is a Will necessary?
    6)  What can be done with Estate property?  Can it be sold or transferred?

When faced with these decisions, it is often helpful to speak with and hire a Texas probate lawyer to help take care of probate issues.  A Texas probate lawyer can help "out of state" family members through the probate process and help move an estate through probate.

This unclaimed property often occurs when someone unexpectedly dies or becomes incompetent.  When this person is the head of a household or controls a family's wealth, records can often be lost and assets can often go unclaimed.  This is more common when families do not live close to each other and/or do not communicated about financial issues.  Much of this lost or unclaimed wealth is collected by the states and held for rightful owners including heirs and beneficiaries.  However, it is not uncommon for large corporations including oil companies, insurance companies, brokers, financial advisers, and banks to keep unclaimed assets.  


Thursday, May 2, 2019

Texas Partition Action Lawyer Represents Landowners Who Want to Sell or Partition Their Real Property by Texas Partition Action Lawyer

Texas Partition Action Lawyer Represents Landowners Who Want to Sell or Partition Their Real Property by Texas Partition Action Lawyer Jason Coomer

Sometimes co-owners of real property cannot agree on how their property will be used or if it will be sold. In these instances, it is sometimes necessary to file a real estate partition action to divide or sell the property.  This situation often arises when multiple family members inherit real property and when people jointly purchase property.  In these situations, one owner typically wants to keep the property, while other owners want to sell the property.  Further the owner that wants to keep the property often can't afford to buy out the other owners and insists that the other owners pay their share of taxes, maintenance, and insurance year after year.  When this situation arises the best course of action is typically a partition action to force the partition or sale of the real property.  For more information on this topic, please go to the following web page: Texas Partition Action Lawyer Information.


Forced Sales of Texas Real Property

Not all real property can be partitioned or divided, in fact houses, commercial property, lake house, condominiums, and several other types of unique real property cannot be partitioned.  When a Texas court finds that real property in a partition action cannot be fairly divided, the Court will order the real property sold through a forced sale.  The owners then divide the proceeds of the sale of the real property.