West Virginia Legal Issues Blog

Having concerns about creating end-of-life wishes is normal. This topic is extremely sensitive, and even though the subject relates to a time in which a person passes, the individual may still feel worried about what impacts estate planning decisions will have on his or her family. In particular, conflict and taxes may be among the concerns of West Virginia residents

Professional estate planners often see which areas of planning tend to give their clients the most concern. When a survey was conducted among 109 of these professionals, 44 percent of them indicated that they believed family disputes would cause the most issue for planning this year. In fact, over half of the individuals stated that their clients struggled most when it came to appointing guardians and naming beneficiaries for their assets.

Because doctors and other medical staff obtain the education and training needed to work in the medical field, most people want to trust that these professionals can do their jobs properly. Of course, many West Virginia residents may find out too late that their doctors did not properly address their medical conditions. In such cases, negatively affected individuals may look into their options to pursue medical malpractice claims.

In particular, incorrect or delayed diagnoses affect numerous patients. One insurance company conducted a study relating to misdiagnoses and malpractice claims, and the results indicated that 33 percent of all claims from 2013 to 2017 related to diagnosis-related issues. Additionally, 33 percent of those claims indicated that the problem arose because of improper evaluation of the patient.

When a car accident results in the death of the driver considered responsible, other individuals who were harmed by the accident may feel that they have no legal options. However, even after a fatal incident in which a driver dies, surviving victims or families of other deceased victims could still pursue legal action against that driver's estate. Personal injury or wrongful death claims could allow for the pursuit of compensation.

At least one individual in West Virginia may be considering such action after a recent crash. Reports stated that a vehicle was traveling southbound when the driver failed to keep the car in the correct lane. As a result, the car collided with an oncoming vehicle. The incident took place around 11 a.m.

When individuals want to get their end-of-life affairs in order, it is a big step. People may need to confront ideas and potential scenarios that they would rather not think about, and it can take a great deal of fortitude to move forward with estate planning. Because it is such an important step, West Virginia residents will certainly want to ensure that they plan correctly.

When getting started, many people may think that they will use their will as the cornerstone of their estate plan. While it is true that a will is a useful and often essential document to such a plan, it does not need to be the only document. A will can hold a variety of information, but there is also information that is not appropriate to include in a will.