Blog

By: Darrell Castle You qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance if you’re MEDICALLY unable to work. You DON’T qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance if you have the ability to work but just don’t want to work or you can’t find a job. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine whether or not you’re disabled when you apply. The SSA has an impairment listing – also referred to as the “blue book” – that lists special disabilities a person can have that would automatically qualify them to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. If you think you’re medically unable to work but you’re disability doesn’t match one listed in the impairment listing, you can still apply, and you should! It

By: Darrell Castle Despite popular belief, bankruptcy benefits more than just the person filing. And no, I’m not talking about the attorney! Bankruptcy can benefit the creditors and society as a whole. Let’s take Chapter 13 bankruptcy for example. By filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can lump your debts into an AFFORDABLE 3-5 year repayment plan. Chapter 13 is especially beneficial if you’re behind on your house or car payment as it allows you to keep your property, which is one of the benefits for the debtor along with getting out of debt. But it’s also beneficial for you (the debtor) because, again, it’s an AFFORDABLE payment plan. Many times, you’re only paying a fraction of your debt back

By: Darrell Castle If you have unsecured debt you can’t pay, then you may want to consider Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Unsecured debt means debt not backed by collateral like credit card and medical bills. There’s no property the creditor can take from you if you fall behind on these payments. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows you to discharge those unsecured debts. You can even keep your property – house and car (secured debts) – as long as you’re current on those payments and your equity doesn’t exceed state exemptions. If you’re not current on your house or car payments and want to keep that property, you can file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which you can learn more about here. To

Who pays for medical malpractice? Video Transcript Hello, this is Darrell Castle. I’m an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee and this is the second video in our series on medical malpractice. Today, we’re asking the question, “who pays for medical malpractice?” And obviously if you have a medical malpractice claim – you were injured and you feel like it was medical malpractice – and you don’t make that claim, then you pay yourself. Either you yourself pay for your own pain and suffering, your own medical bills, your own hospital bills, or else your insurance company does – whether it’s some private company or whether it’s some government company. But doctors carry their own insurance

  How much will a workers’ comp lawyer cost? As a Memphis workers’ comp lawyer, this might be the most common question I get: Clients are usually surprised to find out it’s very easy and cheap to hire a workers’ comp attorney. In Tennessee, my fee is limited to 20% of the person’s past-due workers’ comp benefits. So if your injury happened 6 months ago, for example, and you finally got benefits today, your lawyer would get 20% of the 6 months when you weren’t receiving your benefits. They don’t get any of your future benefits, and you keep 80% of your past benefits. And remember, 80% of something is a lot more than 100% of nothing. Here’s another possibility: If

In a dog attack, the dog’s owner is responsible and should pay for your medical bills, etc.   Video Transcript If you’re attacked by a dog, who pays for your damages? Who pays for your medical bills, lost wages and things like that? Hi, I’m Darrell Castle and I’m an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee. And the answer to that question is the owner of the dog should pay the damage. If the owner of the dog has insurance, then it’s a simple matter. Let’s say the owner of the dog lives in a home – has a mortgage in other words – well then that person has homeowner’s insurance. And that homeowner’s insurance should

As a car accident lawyer in Memphis, I know some people are concerned about who will find out if they sue over a car accident. If you’re injured in a car accident and you file a claim, could it come back to hurt you? There are a few things to keep in mind:   It isn’t always a lawsuit – When you file a personal injury claim, that doesn’t make it a lawsuit. Often the case can settle outside of court, so it never even becomes a lawsuit in the first place. Those settlements aren’t public record. When you pursue a claim, you’re pursuing it against an insurance company. Typically the other driver’s insurance company simply doesn’t want to pay,

By: Darrell Castle Who pays your medical bills for your car accident injury really depends on who was at fault If the accident wasn’t your fault, then you shouldn’t be held responsible for paying those medical bills! And that’s why you need to contact an experienced car accident attorney. You may know without a doubt that the accident wasn’t your fault, or you may not be sure. An experienced car accident attorney will investigate your case detail by detail to find who exactly was liable and whether or not you’ll be entitled to compensation and how much. Your attorney should investigate any and all police records and eye-witnesses. It’s very important, and that’s why you need an attorney you can

  Car Accident FAQ: I was in a car accident in Memphis caused by a commercial vehicle. Is the other driver responsible, or is it the company that employs him and owns the truck that hit me?   httpv://youtu.be/8hOcrfgq8no

In recent years, ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft have taken off as an alternative to taxi services that can be cheaper, easier on the consumer, and more reliable. As a Memphis car accident lawyer, I welcome any options out there that curb drunk driving. A lot of riders depend on Uber and other car-share services to get them home after a night out. In that sense they’re a lot like taxis, and if they help save lives, I’m all for it. But what happens when you’re in an accident while riding in an Uber, or if an Uber driver causes an accident? Traditional cab companies are licensed and regulated by the state, which means they have special insurance requirements and laws about what