“Worry Less. Live More” That’s our slogan at LegalShield. Not because we think it’s witty and catchy, but because we think these are great words to live by. Unfortunately for most of us, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to put that advice into practice. All you have to do is look at the headlines over the past few years to know that our world is getting more and more complicated. On almost a daily basis, we’re confronted with events in our lives that come with significant legal issues; from getting married, starting a family and buying a home to managing investments, making critical health care decisions and planning for retirement. A new study we commissioned on the legal needs of American families shows that 57 million working Americans experienced at least one significant legal event last year. The American Bar Association places that number even higher. According to ABA data, when you include all Americans – working, unemployed, retired, disabled and minors – fully 70 percent of Americans experience at least one significant legal event every year. With legal problems and issues a virtual certainty in life, we were surprised to find that nearly half of those who experienced a legal event last year faced their problems without professional legal help – even for serious issues such as IRS audits, arrests for drunk driving, identity thefts or home purchases. Although we found this information troubling, we weren’t really surprised. The data in our Legal Needs of American Families Study only confirms what we at LegalShield have known intuitively for a long time — many Americans don’t believe they can get the legal help they need to protect themselves and their families. Too many people think they have to go at it alone and hope for the best when it comes to dealing with all but the most serious legal problems. Fortunately, that’s not the case. You just need to become more aware of the options, such as legal services plans offered by LegalShield that give you the legal protection you need. Cost, fear and confusion keep most Americans from getting legal help, according to our study. More than 90 percent of respondents said lawyers charge too much for their services. Respondents reported paying an average hourly rate of $284, with nearly 25 percent paying more than $400 per hour. And get this; nearly 20 percent did not know their attorney’s hourly rate. They just paid whatever it cost. High attorney fees should not keep you from getting help. With plans like LegalShield, for less than $17 a month you have virtually unlimited access to a dedicated law firm. Your lawyer is there whenever you need him – no matter how serious or trivial the issue. In fact, our members say being able to talk to a lawyer about even a small issue such as a traffic ticket is one of the best benefits of having a LegalShield plan. When you don’t have to worry about the cost, you can talk to a lawyer when you want to, not just when you have to. Your pleas to convince a landlord to return a security deposit, for example, may fall on deaf ears, but when your attorney makes a call for you or sends a letter, the issue is usually resolved very quickly. Our study also shows that finding a qualified attorney is a significant barrier to getting help. Nearly 70 percent of people we surveyed said they did not know a lawyer to call before needing one. More than 90 percent of those who found an attorney selected one through an online search, the Yellow Pages, or some other sort of advertising. Finding an attorney to help with a serious legal issue should never be so random. And it doesn’t have to be. With LegalShield, you make just one call and you’re connected to an attorney in your state that can give you the legal advise and counsel you need, and deserve. Our lawyers have on average 19 years of experience in the areas of law- real estate, traffic and auto issues, family law, estate planning, wills and medical directives, identity theft, etc. – that impact individuals and families the most. LegalShield also takes the hassle out of working with lawyers. Our research shows that more than 70 percent of Americans say they “dread the thought of calling a lawyer” because they fear being taken advantage of. With a LegalShield plan, that’s not the case. We regularly monitor the performance of our attorneys and the service they provide. We also survey our members regularly to ensure that our services are meeting their expectations. In fact, although only about 10 percent of Americans have legal plans such as LegalShield, those who do say they are overwhelming pleased with legal plans and use them frequently. More than 90 percent say they are “very satisfied” with the services they receive and more than 70 percent said they used the plans at least three times in the past year. Our new Legal Needs Study shows when it comes to having legal issues or problems the question is not “If? ” but rather “When?” Because of this, it’s important that you and your family have access to the professional legal help you need to make the best decisions possible. We’re here to make sure you have that protection. After all, our goal is to help you worry less and live more.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:32:13 +0000