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Business – Page 7 – Reginald Chan

Reginald Chan

Category: Business

  • What You Need to Do If Your Workplace Injury Claim Was Denied?

    What You Need to Do If Your Workplace Injury Claim Was Denied?

    Workplace accidents can be stressful since they often result in serious injuries, loss of income, medical expenses, and dealing with pain and suffering. If you are injured at work, you have a legal right to claim workers’ compensation benefits. All employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance to protect their employees. However, securing the settlement that you deserve for your injuries is not always easy. 

    Insurance companies may underpay injured workers since they are concerned about securing their profits and interests. If your initial compensation claim is denied, you have other options that you can pursue to recover the benefits that you deserve. Read on to learn what you need to do if your workplace injury claim was denied. 

    Request a Fair and Impartial Hearing

    You have a legal right to request a fair hearing before the judge of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation if your claim has been denied. The employer and the insurance company can deny your compensation if they dispute the credibility of your injury. The employer may claim that you were not injured at work due to insufficient evidence to support your claim. The employer may also argue that your claim is based on a pre-existing condition. If you find yourself in this predicament, you have a right to be heard by an administrative law judge representing the workers’ compensation board. All the same, you will need the help of a workers’ compensation attorney to prepare your claim for hearing. 

    Prepare for the Hearing

    In the state of Georgia, when the workers’ compensation board grants your hearing, you should be able to prepare your case. You should enlist the services of an attorney who will help with your workers’ comp claim to increase your chances of winning the case. Your lawyer will review your claim and prepare a solid case to present before the judge. Your attorney will first try to establish the reasons why your initial claim was denied. Therefore, you should be prepared to answer several questions from the lawyer and try to be truthful otherwise your case may be rejected again.

    Collect Relevant Evidence

    To win your case, you need clear evidence that can support your claim when you go for a hearing. You must collect all medical records that specify that your injury was a result of a work-related accident. In some cases, your employer might suggest the doctor you should visit after the accident. You can also see an independent physician. However, you must send a request to your employer for permission to visit a different doctor. On the other hand, the insurance company may also request an independent medical examination (IME), so you must be prepared to get this. 

    You must get all the medical records from all the physicians that you have visited after the workplace injury to support your case. You can also request a medical testimony from your doctor that you can present at a hearing. It is vital to ensure that the doctor sends correct information to the insurance company to avoid issues that may impact the outcome of the hearing. 

    File a Lawsuit

    If the administrative law judge fails to award you the compensation you expect and deserve despite the glaring evidence you present for your injuries, you can consider filing a lawsuit in a court of law. While lawsuits involving workers’ compensation disputes are rare, you can consider this option if you believe that you have a strong and valid case against the employer.

    Remember the Deadline 

    After receiving a letter of denial of your claim from the insurance company, you can appeal the decision. However, you must remember that there is a deadline for filing a workers’ compensation appeal. The deadlines vary from state to state, so you should check the requirements in your area. If the deadline passes without filing your appeal, you may lose your legal right to get any compensation. 

    It is disheartening to learn that your compensation claim was rejected after suffering injuries from a work-related accident. However, the denial of your first claim does not mean the end of the world since there are other options that you can consider to get the compensation you deserve. You can appeal the decision and request a hearing from the administrative law judge of the workers’ compensation judge. To increase your chances of winning the case, you must gather all evidence that can support your claim. As a last resort, you can consider filing a lawsuit if all other avenues fail to yield positive results.

  • The Ultimate Guide To Hosting Productive Virtual Meetings

    The Ultimate Guide To Hosting Productive Virtual Meetings

    With the change in global workplace culture, it is now more common to have scattered teams working from different parts of the world. This has immensely benefited many organizations as they get to work with experts in the industry regardless of their location.

    Remote work became the new norm due to the sudden onset of the pandemic and managers had to resort to virtual meetings and online communication tools to manage work effectively. Virtual meetings are easy to schedule, inexpensive and give you full control over who you want to include.

    But this does not mean that hosting a productive virtual meeting is free of challenges. When compared to an in-person meeting, the online communication feels disintegrated and managers often find it difficult to get everyone to contribute. In this article, we’ve listed top strategies to conduct an effective and productive virtual meeting.

    Find the right tool:

    Much of the credit for seamless communication goes to the tool that you use for a virtual meeting. The correct online meeting software will streamline the process and make it easy to share information amongst team members. Make sure it has an easy-to-use interface that employees can quickly navigate.

    While every meeting will have a different purpose, you need to ensure your online meeting software supports high-quality audio and video. It is necessary for virtual meetings to be conducted on a software that can easily accommodate other collaborative tools.

    Prepare in advance:

    Entering into a virtual meeting unprepared is as bad as walking into a room not knowing what to speak. When you schedule a meeting, you need to have an agenda and ensure that it encompasses everything that you need to discuss in the meeting.

    Not only do you need an agenda for yourself, but also to let everyone who is a part of the meeting know what the topics for discussion are. This will help them stay focused on the topic and ensure a productive outcome.

    Make sure to check your technology and an internet connection to avoid any technical issues during the meeting. Additionally, it’s essential to create visually appealing presentation materials to keep your audience engaged. Before the meeting, take time to practice your delivery and pay attention to your posture, tone, and body language to make sure you are projecting confidence. To take your virtual presentation skills to the next level, consider enrolling in executive presentation coaching programs and workshops that offer personalized feedback and guidance on your speaking and visual aids, helping you to build confidence and develop a polished delivery style. Properly preparing your speech and presentation, you will be able to effectively communicate your message and leave a lasting impression on your virtual audience.

    Involve everyone:

    To have a truly successful virtual meeting, it is important to include only those who are important for that very discussion. Moreover, you need to ensure every meeting participant is involved and contributing to the discussion.

    Managers need to be proactive and put in the effort to make everyone comfortable so they feel involved in the conversation. A good strategy is to take pauses to get everyone’s suggestions and approvals after every important topic on the agenda.

    Keep in mind different time zones:

    When managers are handling distributed teams and need multiple team members to collaborate over a discussion, it is crucial to keep in mind the time difference. To involve everyone from various time zones in a virtual meeting, look for a time slot that can be adopted by everyone.

    Expecting team members from a certain time zone to always make adjustments is unjust and must be avoided. If you need to conduct meetings often with teams scattered globally, you can rotate meeting times so as to be fair to everyone.

    Eliminate multitasking:

    Often employees are running on tight deadlines and have very limited time on their hands. When managers schedule a meeting in such a situation, it is not surprising that employees would attempt to multitask in order to achieve multiple things within the given time frame.

    Managers must take efforts to ban and eliminate multitasking completely because it can actually turn out to be counterproductive if employees do not pay full attention during the meeting. They may end up missing out on valuable information that can lead to mistakes in the future.

    Conclusion:

    While basic etiquettes are still applicable, hosting effective virtual meetings requires a very streamlined approach to ensure everyone’s time gets utilized well and you get the most out of it. The above strategies should be incorporated to ensure virtual meetings are meaningful and successful.

  • Types of Insurance Policies and Why You Need Them

    Types of Insurance Policies and Why You Need Them

    There are many different types of insurance policies out there for you to choose from. At times it can be very difficult to decide what you need and what you don’t. Therefore, you always have to have a good understanding of the insurance policy and what you are being covered for and what you are not being covered for. 

    Along with that, you have to be aware of how much you are going to be spending each month for the policy and the amount of coverage you are going to be getting. When you fully understand all of this, you can then go about choosing the right insurance for you. Here are the types of insurance policies and why you need them,.

    Third-Party Insurance

    Third-party insurance is insurance that is used to protect another person should you be at fault for an accident. Another name for this insurance is liability insurance, and it is strongly recommended for a variety of different situations. Let’s say for example you are a business and an injury occurs within your workplace that you are deemed at fault for. Third-party insurance covers you and helps to pay for the medical expenses incurred by the other party. Another popular form of third-party insurance comes with auto insurance. It is not legal to drive without this type of insurance, so make sure you have this policy before you start to drive.

    Why exactly do you need this insurance? It is important that you are covered for any accidents that might occur. Typically, a lawsuit over something like this can reach up to one million dollars if not more. Do you have the money to cover that? The other thing to note when it comes to third party insurance is that it only covers you if the incident was deemed an accident. If you intentionally injured the other person or did anything on purpose, you will not be covered by this insurance. Don’t put yourself or your business in a position where one injury or incident will have severe consequences. Ensure that you have the proper third party insurance.

    Comprehensive Insurance

    What happens if your car is damaged by a means other than an accident? How can you get coverage if there isn’t a third party in a situation like this? Comprehensive coverage is the next thing that you should consider getting. This insurance will compensate you for any damage that is done to your vehicle that is not caused by a collision. This means if your car is damaged by flooding or by any other elements of nature, you will be protected. It is good insurance to get, as you never know what can happen to your car. With the poor condition of roads nowadays, even a small pothole can result in serious damage to your car. Having this type of insurance will allow you to get your car repaired without having to worry about a massive bill.

    Life Insurance

    As you get older, you should strongly consider investing in a life insurance policy. What benefits do they have to you however if you die? Life insurance helps out your family and puts them in a position financially to be able to pay for a funeral and recover. Let’s say you have a family with several children. If you were to pass away, what would happen in terms of income? Life insurance will ensure that your family is taken care of and that finances are not a problem.

    Looking into more specific forms of life insurance, there are policies that pay out a lot of money if you have an accidental death, and there are some smaller policies that will just cover funeral costs. The amount you are able to pay each month will determine how much coverage you are going to be getting. Evaluate your life, your finances, and your needs, and make the right decisions from there. Any form of life insurance is better than none, so ensure that this is a policy you look into and invest in.

    These are all important types of life insurance policies that you should be getting. The last thing you need is for a disaster to strike and you end up losing all of your money due to something out of your control. While making monthly insurance payments can be annoying, it is better to spend a little bit of money and have a safety net, than to regret it later. Everyone resents insurance until they finally have to make a claim. What type of insurance policy are you considering getting?

  • How to Easily Improve the Relationship with Your Customers?

    How to Easily Improve the Relationship with Your Customers?

    Business owners have to deal with a whole host of different aspects of their company. Accounting, marketing, human resources, and much more. The most important job of any company that wants to be successful is to build, maintain, and collaborate with its client base. Maintaining positive client relationships means that they feel more like a partner, rather than just another transaction contributing to your bottom line. 

    Clients tend to trust, listen and be more upfront with you when they feel as they are a partner. Ultimately, how they feel about the work you do for them will determine if they stick around as a client or find alternatives. Having a strong relationship will result in you and your client maintain a long, healthy, and expanding relationship.

    Building Relationships

    One of the first things you can do to build a relationship with your client is to get to know them. Do your research on the individual, organization, staff, the people they serve, or any other relatable information before the initial meeting. This way, you go into the meeting confidently and with enthusiasm, In business first impressions mean a lot, so it is quite powerful to go in with a good head on your shoulders. For example, you could refer to a recent news article they were featured in or a recent commercial or ad you saw of them – this will show them that you are aware and keen on the task at hand. Be sure to have that initial meeting in person on their turf. Going to the customer means you are showing you have a keen interest in their priorities and what they are about.

    Communication is Key

    At the heart of every good business and client relationship comes down to communication. Understanding what makes your client make the decisions they do will better suit you in the end. From that initial meeting right up to the first payment, having open lines of communication will benefit both parties. Ask for feedback from your client to make sure they are satisfied with their service or product from you. This shows compassion and that you are dedicated to your product. Being open to criticism and feedback from the get-go will make your client feel better about coming to you if there are any issues. Fostering an open relationship from the beginning where criticism and comments are respected and accepted freely means a strong foundation to grow. Be proactive by seeking feedback, do not wait for them to come to you.

    Following up with your Customers

    Never underestimate the power of the follow-up. In some cases, you may want to check in once and a while with your customers to make sure they are getting everything out of your service or product and more. Make sure you take their feedback seriously and try to incorporate what they have to see in any changes that could be made. If you cannot fix what they are asking for, be sure to be upfront and honest with them by explaining to them why you cannot fix it the way they would like to see it.

    Have a large client base? No problem

    If you are a small to medium-sized business that services a large number of clients, it may be near impossible to be as proactive with all these things. However, there is good news for you. There are technology and services out there that you can utilize to connect with your large client base in a way that seems personable to them. How we connect with people has changed rapidly over the years. From the days past where everything was done over mail and paper can now be done over the internet, our computers, and our smartphones. People now can directly contact people over social media, SMS, phone, and video calling. The professionals behind this website say that there should be a need to look at new and innovative ways to connect with clients. There are certain solutions that can provide a direct connection with your customers through SMS and other mobile marketing tools. With this technology, you can send out a large number of text messages and other services to connect directly with our clientele, and your clientele and connect directly with you.

    Having a positive working relationship with your clients is at the core of any business’s success. How you treat your clients will determine how long they stick with you. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth. If you treat all your clients well by engaging with them and seeking feedback from them, they will be sure to share with their contacts how wonderful you are to work with. Be prepared for your client base to grow even more!

  • What Types of Cases Are Most Challenging for the Attorneys?

    What Types of Cases Are Most Challenging for the Attorneys?

    Lawyers are legal experts who are trained to help citizens, government agencies, and corporations with various legal matters and disputes. Attorneys are also specialized in different areas which means that they may not handle all legal matters in all areas. Many lawyers encounter several difficult cases in their practice. Some issues are more complicated than others, and this may impact the operations of many legal practitioners. Read on to learn the different types of cases that are most challenging for the attorneys. 

    Personal Injury Cases

    Among lawyers who are qualified in different fields of expertise, personal injury lawyers often face many problems in almost all cases they deal with. The attorneys need to conduct a lot of research and investigations before they handle the case. Some cases are more complex, especially the ones that involve multiple defendants and serious injuries. Additionally, many insurance companies are not willing to pay fair compensation sums to the victims. This makes the injury attorney’s work more difficult. Here are some of the most challenging injury cases for lawyers operating in this sector.    

    Product Liability

    Product liability claims arise when customers are injured by defective products offered by different manufacturers and other parties involved in the supply chain. The major problem with this type of case is that it involves many parties that include manufacturers, designers, marketers, and other active members along the distribution chain. The attorneys can only get relief if the doctrine of strict liability is applied in the injury claim. Under this law, the injured person might not need to prove liability following an injury caused by using a particular product. 

    Without invoking the doctrine of strict liability, it becomes complicated for the attorney handling the case to prove liability. Several parties are involved in this type of case, so it becomes difficult to prove negligence. Some defects may arise along the supply chain, and this can complicate the whole case. Such cases are time-consuming and require a lot of research.

    Truck Accident Claims

    Truck accidents are responsible for causing severe injuries among the victims, and they also contribute to the highest number of fatalities on the roads. Unlike other car accidents, truck collision cases are complicated to handle, and they require highly experienced and specialized lawyers. Expert injury lawyers at www.mtllawfirm.com explain that competition is high among attorneys who deal with injury cases. Trucking accidents can involve several parties including the drivers, fleet owners, insurance companies, and manufacturers of different parts. Such cases require dedication and commitment to prove the liability of the responsible party that caused the accident.    

    Premise Liability

    Getting injured at someone’s property does not necessarily mean that the victim will get compensation. Depending on your case, it might be demanding to get a settlement for injuries sustained at other people’s properties. For instance, trespassers are not authorized to enter certain areas which can complicate their claims. If the victim contributes to their own injury, they may not get full compensation. Failure to observe warning signs can compromise the injury cases raised by the victims.  Proving negligence on behalf of the property owners can pose many challenges since it may involve many parties.    

    Family Issues

    Cases involving sensitive and other important family issues are challenging for most attorneys. Family matters are usually premised on emotions that make them difficult to handle. For instance, divorce cases are very complicated since the spouses involved may have irreparable differences. This further complicates the process of wealth redistribution and determining the children’s custody.  

    Drug Cases

    Defense cases involving drugs are probably the most challenging for many attorneys. It is hard to defend a person who has been caught with drugs. No matter how small the quantity that is recovered, the substance will be used as an exhibit in the court of law. However, the defendant can argue that the drugs belong to someone. The other challenge pertains to determining if jail is the best option for the accused or suggesting the option of rehabilitation. 

    Child Sexual Abuse

    Cases that involve sexual relations are arduous to handle for many lawyers. Once the suspect is caught in the act, and evidence is there to prove a case against them, it becomes challenging for the attorneys. The laws are tough, and it is impossible to provide defense against strict liability cases like that.

    Attorneys are trained professionals who handle different legal matters to resolve disputes among various parties. Many lawyers often encounter challenging cases in their practice, and this is worsened if many defendants are involved. Personal injury cases that involve many parties are not easy to handle since they require a lot of work. However, cases involving drugs and child abuse are the most complex as a result of the stigma associated with them. Such cases are usually predetermined which makes it difficult for the defense attorney to provide sound legal representation to the accused parties.  

  • How To Come Up With A Contract That Will Protect Your Business Interests?

    How To Come Up With A Contract That Will Protect Your Business Interests?

    Business contracts are devised to protect the interests of all parties involved in a trade. The client ensures they get the quality of work they’ve paid for, and the party offering their services ensures that they won’t be scammed. If any of the two parties break the terms and conditions of their agreement, the other party can use the contract to hold them legally accountable. There are a lot of clauses that should be included in a contract to protect your business interests. If it’s your first time signing or creating a contract, here’s what you should do to protect your rights and business interests.

    Write it Down

    One of the fatal mistakes anyone can do, whether as a business, freelancer, or contractor, is to take the other party’s “word” for it. Business exchanges done on words are promises are only a recipe for disaster. Although you can legally enforce an oral contract, it will be much harder to prove the exact terms, conditions, and clauses. Once you finalize discussions and negotiations, be sure to get everything down in writing, after which both parties should sign the contract. That’s the best way to prove everything you’ve agreed upon and hold the party at fault accountable. 

    Outline Important Clauses

    While you’re writing the contract, you’ll probably be focused on outlining everything you have discussed. Surely, you should start with outlining the most important clauses for your business. This includes all terms, conditions, and requirements you need to fulfill your part. However, there are a few important clauses that may slip your mind yet are essential to be included. To have a complete idea of what should be included in a business contract, be sure to look up templates for similar contracts. Once you have all your business interests well-defined, outline the clauses and send a draft to the other party to review. Be sure to highlight the clauses that can be negotiated and the non-negotiable ones. 

    Discuss Workflow and Payment

    One of the clauses you might forget to write down is the work process. Negotiations often focus more on pricing and services and less on work processes and workflow. Whether you’re providing or receiving the service, be sure to go into details about the specific services offered and the pricing of each service. If certain amends require an additional budget, be sure to set that straight in the contract. If you have multiple business partners, using a contract management software or website can be a great way to manage contracts and set reminders. It’s common for business owners to forget contract expiration dates when using manual resources, so such a tool will greatly optimize your process. 

    Cover Different Outcomes

    It’s normal for obstacles to rise in the field of business, and that makes discussing different scenarios crucial in any contract. Take the time to brainstorm with your team everything that can go wrong and the best possible damage control for every specific situation. While certain outcomes can be amended, there should be a few lines that can’t be crossed. Moreover, be sure to include termination clauses that work for both parties. It’s also wise to consult an attorney while drafting the contract to protect yourself against liability in case the mistakes are from your party’s side. 

    Protect Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

    You’ll have to share a lot of confidential information with your business partners, none of which you’ll want to be leaked or used against you – during or after the contract’s duration. To protect your confidential and private information, you should add a confidentiality clause that restricts the use of your information without authorization on your part. Likewise, you want to protect all intellectual property from being used without authorization. Whether you’re purchasing the rights of ownership from the service provider or want to hold onto your intellectual property rights after offering the service, this clause will protect your business. 

    Use Simple and Clear Language

    Once you start looking into contract templates, you’ll come across a lot of jargon that doesn’t make any sense to you. While some terms are necessary to be included, like “parties”, “hereafter”, and “hereto”, a lot of the legal jargon can be substituted with simpler terms you can understand. Whether you choose simpler terms or stick with complicated jargon is up to you, but keep in mind that you’ll be held accountable if you make mistakes due to choosing terms you didn’t understand. 

    Landing a business deal is a cause for celebration, but amidst all the excitement, you mustn’t forget that a deal is never complete without a contract to back it. A contract will serve as definitive proof in case either party fails to hold their end of the deal. That’s why a contract must never be taken lightly; you should make sure that it covers all the clauses that protect your business interests without putting you at the risk of liability.