How a motor vehicle is titled can have serious liability ramifications. Florida follows the “Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine” which basically recognizes that driving a vehicle is one of the most dangerous things that we do. Therefore, if an owner of a vehicle voluntarily allows another person to drive that vehicle, and they negligently injure someone, the […]
Recently, the firm’s elder law attorney, Elizabeth Allen, gave a presentation on long term care planning to customer and members of Achieva Credit Union at the credit union’s corporate office in Dunedin. Ms. Allen explained what long term care is, the likelihood of needing it, the costs of care and ways to pay it. She […]
On July 29th, attorneys and staff members at Gibbons | Neuman and Tampa Title Company had a car wash fundraiser in an effort to raise money and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. For the past several years, the firm has been trying to engage the local community and spread the word on finding […]
The Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Court in the case of In Re: Roscoe (siding with the majority view), recently ruled that Bankruptcy Code Section 1306(a) expands the definition of “estate property” (i.e. property that is available to pay creditors) to include life insurance proceeds for one of the debtors who died after the case […]
The limited liability company is a popular business entity for owners of investment real property who wish to protect themselves from business debts and liabilities. To form a limited liability company (“LLC”) in Florida, the essential document which must be filed with the state is the Articles of Organization. It identifies the LLC’s members (owners), […]
On June 20, 2017, the firm’s special needs planning attorney, Elizabeth Allen, gave a presentation on planning for individuals with special needs to employees of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Tampa. The presentation was held at the offices of PwC and covered the topics of Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Income, Disabled Adult Child benefits, Medicare and […]
To quote Tom Cruise from the movie, Jerry McGuire, “Help me help you.” Mediation can be an effective tool in settling cases. However, as the mediator, I can only do just so much to help forge that settlement between the parties. If clients come to the mediation with unrealistic expectations or are not mentally […]
The Supreme Court of the United States has resolved the issue of whether a Proof of Claim that is filed in a bankruptcy case, which includes some indebtedness which is beyond the statute of limitations, violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The Supreme Court, in reversing the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal’s ruling […]
On May 10th, Elizabeth P. Allen, the firm’s elder law attorney, gave a presentation on VA benefits to a packed room of veterans, spouses, and relatives at Legacy at Highwoods Preserve in Tampa. Ms. Allen talked about the VA Pension program which helps qualified wartime veterans and their surviving spouses pay for medical expenses, including […]
We often tell clients that effective estate planning doesn’t just involve handling matters after your death, but, more importantly, involves making provisions for your care while you are living, but suffer a disabling event which prevents you from acting for yourself. Every adult should have a Designation of Health Care Surrogate to designate someone (and […]