JACKSON ATTORNEYS SEEK JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF EXPOSURE

Exposure to harmful chemicals can happen all at once during a chemical spill or slowly over time in the workplace. These chemicals, which can be a danger to people and the environment, can end up in the air, soil or water that people come in contact with every day. Whether you were exposed to toxic substances at work or through contamination in your local environment, this exposure can result in disease or injury. At Bossier & Associates PLLC, in Jackson, Mississippi, we investigate cases of toxic exposure on your behalf, and we help get fair compensation for your injuries.

WHAT IS A TOXIC TORT CLAIM?

Exposure to toxic chemicals can show up in many ways in the human body, from causing cancers and rare blood diseases to birth defects, mesothelioma and death. There are also the more common illnesses that you might not immediately associate with toxic exposure, such as learning disabilities in children, chronic respiratory problems and other health challenges that can be directly related to sustained exposure to harmful chemicals. When you have received the diagnosis of a rare, deadly disease after years and even decades of exposure to harmful chemicals, we represent you and we hold the negligent parties responsible for your injuries and losses.

EXAMPLES OF TOXIC TORTS

Toxic torts tend to involve large numbers of individuals taking action against huge corporations, so they are often handled as a class action. Whether it’s representing a class action made up of employees who were exposed in the workplace or an individual who has been harmed from taking a dangerous drug, we use our knowledge of this complex area of the law to obtain favorable settlements for our clients.

Here are some examples of the source of toxic torts:

• Environmental chemical exposure. Air, water, soil contamination by arsenic, pesticides, chemical spills, hazardous waste dumping, brown fields and other contaminated places
• Occupational exposure to toxic substances. Asbestos, poor indoor air quality, mold, radiation, solvents, benzene, lead, vinyl chloride and coal tar pitch
• Residential exposure. Asbestos exposure, mold contamination, off-gassing of the hazardous chemicals found in building materials and other contaminants found in the home

The discovery that you have been poisoned from exposure to hazardous chemicals can be frightening and infuriating. At Bossier & Associates PLLC, we find the negligent parties and hold them responsible.

WHAT CAN A TOXIC TORTS ATTORNEY DO FOR YOU?

As attorneys with experience in handling toxic tort cases, we understand both the science and the regulations that govern occupational and environmental exposure to harmful chemicals. We have access to a team of environmental scientists, medical professionals and investigators that work to prove the origin of your illness or injury. We win compensation on your behalf for medical expenses now and in the future, lost wages and possibly diminished future earning capacity.

Knowledgeable Mississippi toxic torts attorneys are ready to represent you

Contact Bossier & Associates PLLC at 601-974-3363, or contact us online to schedule a consultation to discuss your chemical exposure case at our Jackson office today.

Providing Trustees with Assistance During This Difficult Time

Often, the successor trustee is called upon to manage the trust due to either the death or debilitating illness of the creator of the trust.  The trustee therefore becomes burdened with the stress of administering the trust during a difficult and overwhelming time.  At the same time the trustee is being forced to make critical decisions, he or she may also be in the midst of informing friends and relatives of the grantor’s death, making funeral arrangements, writing an obituary, closing bank accounts and paying off debts, and liquidating real estate or other assets.

An estate planning attorney can help make the entire trust process manageable by guiding you through the administration requirements and allowing you time to grieve the loss of your loved one.  At The Sullivan Firm, our team understands the pain associated with any loss and will do all we can to ease it.

Assisting You in the Event the Grantor Becomes Incapacitated

When the grantor becomes incapacitated, ether physically or mentally, such that he or she is no longer able to handle the affairs of the trust, the successor trustee will be forced to intercede.  The first necessary step will be locating and reviewing the trust document.  You should then notify all beneficiaries of the grantor’s incapacity.

You will need a certificate of trust prepared, which is a shortened version of the trust that proves you have legal authority to act on the trust’s behalf. Depending on how the trust is drafted you may also need to obtain documentation by a physician of the grantor’s incapacity.

You should ensure the grantor is receiving the medical care required in a supportive environment.  The health care proxy should be notified of the grantor’s condition, and physicians should receive copies of all health care documents.  It is best to review the grantor’s insurance as well and garner an understanding of its limits.

The next crucial step is gathering a thorough understanding of the trust’s assets.  You will now be responsible for investment of trust funds in a prudent and conservative manner.  By utilizing a team comprised of at least an attorney, accountant, and financial advisor, you can make practical decisions on the investment of these funds.  You will always want to maintain a careful record of expenses paid and investments made, as you may be required to send this information to the beneficiaries.

Managing a trust on behalf of beneficiaries is a daunting task, one for which you can be held personally liable.  The assistance of a knowledgeable estate planning attorney is vital.  At The Sullivan Firm, we have extensive experience assisting trustees in the management of the trust.  We can help ensure your compliance with the terms of the trust and maintenance of the trust’s fiscal integrity.

Offering Guidance Upon the Death of the Grantor

When the grantor of a trust passes away, the trustee then becomes responsible for dispersing the trust in accordance with its terms.  The trustee is legally required to notify not just the beneficiaries, but also the intestate heirs, or individuals who would inherit under Massachusetts law in the absence of a will or trust.  You must notify these individuals of 1) the existence of the trust; 2) their right to receive a copy if requested; 3) their right to contest the trust within 120 day of receipt of notice.

The next crucial step is taking an inventory of the trust’s assets.  The assets must be invested in a prudent manner if they are not to be dispersed immediately.  You must make the trust property productive of income, and can be liable for failure to do so.  Creditors should be notified of the grantor’s death and trust’s existence.  Taxes must be filed and paid.  It is critical that you keep an exact accounting of all bills paid and investments completed, as the beneficiaries will have a right to this information.  You must treat all beneficiaries impartially and show no self-interest if you are a beneficiary as well.

If the trust calls for total distribution of the assets, you must so disperse the assets after a final inventory has been conducted and all bills remunerated.  Distribution must be in precise accordance with the terms of the trust and may involve transferring titles and liquidating assets.

Administering a trust after the death of a loved one can be bewildering, time-consuming, and overwhelming.  At The Sullivan Firm we guide trustees seamlessly through the trust administration process, allowing you to grieve the loss of your loved one without having to deal with unnecessary burdens.

Providing Trust Administration Representation Which is Next to None

At The Sullivan Firm we understand the daunting task faced by the often unwitting trustee.  We will guide you through the trust administration process each step of the way, both simplifying the operation and ensuring your compliance with the terms of the trust, as well as Massachusetts law.  You can reach The Sullivan Firm at (978) 325-2721. Click here to download a gift certificate good for one initial consultation with a trusted estate planning attorney (a $350 value).  We look forward to providing you with superior legal services.