why would an attorney need your personal information

Can a lawyer ask you for personal information?

Documentation, Information and Evidence To Bring to Your First Meeting With a Personal Injury Lawyer. A Copy of Your Insurance Policy. Evidence of Up-To-Date Payments. A Detailed Description of the Accident. Photographs of the Scene and Your Injuries. Police Report and Traffic Citations. Statements to the Insurance Company.

Can lawyers reveal clients'statements to the public?

You can talk this over with your personal injury attorney, who will assure you that the information that you release to the opposing side can only be used for a limited purpose — the lawsuit. While it may be tempting, you shouldn’t let the fear of having to share your personal information discourage you from filing a personal injury lawsuit if you have been hurt due to the negligence …

What do I need to know before hiring a will lawyer?

The most basic principle underlying the lawyer-client relationship is that lawyer-client communications are privileged or confidential. This means that lawyers cannot reveal clients' oral or written statements (nor lawyers' own statements to clients) to anyone, including prosecutors, employers, friends, or family members, without their clients' consent.

Why should I keep my personal information private?

Once you’ve made your decision, your attorney will need information from you in order to get the ball rolling and the divorce process started. Some information is basic and will require no work from you. Other information will require time and energy and it is always best to be prepared.

What should you not say to an attorney?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•Mar 17, 2021

Can I disclose confidential information to my lawyer?

Legal advice privilege covers confidential communication or discussions between you and your lawyer for the purpose of giving you or receiving legal advice. Such information will not be allowed for inspection to the other party. As long as the communication is confidential it will not be allowed for inspection.

Should you release information about your patient to an attorney over the telephone?

Yes. The Privacy Rule allows covered health care providers to share protected health information for treatment purposes without patient authorization, as long as they use reasonable safeguards when doing so. These treatment communications may occur orally or in writing, by phone, fax, e-mail, or otherwise.Nov 3, 2003

Can you say anything to your lawyer?

Lawyers may not reveal oral or written communications with clients that clients reasonably expect to remain private. ... In that sense, the privilege is the client's, not the lawyer's—the client can decide to forfeit (or waive) the privilege, but the lawyer cannot.

When can a lawyer break confidentiality?

When can a solicitor breach confidentiality? A solicitor cannot be under a duty of confidentiality if the client is trying to use them or the firm to commit fraud or other crimes. A client cannot make a solicitor the confidant of a crime and expect them to close up their lips upon any secret they dare to disclose.Jan 7, 2021

What is an example of breach of confidentiality?

Some examples of breaches of confidentiality agreements may include: Publishing confidential information in a written document, newspaper, online article, or other such publication. Orally disclosing the information to another person. Revealing the information through non-verbal communication.Mar 7, 2018

What are the consequences of accessing a patient chart without reason?

A Jail-Time Sentence The worst possible consequence you could face for accessing a patient chart without a reason is that you face a jail sentence.Jan 26, 2021

What would you do if a patient requested information over the phone?

When documenting a telephone call, you should: Include your own name or initials. When a patient calls with a medical question, you should: Document the patient's information and relay it to the doctor for review.

Under what circumstances is it acceptable to release information without consent from a patient?

You may only disclose confidential information in the public interest without the patient's consent, or if consent has been withheld, where the benefits to an individual or society of disclosing outweigh the public and patient's interest in keeping the information confidential.

How often should I hear from my attorney?

You should never be afraid or feel like an intrusion to contact your attorney every three weeks or so, or more frequently if there is a lot going on with your health or other matters related to your legal case. There is of course a limit to how much you should be contacting or sharing.Jun 17, 2020

Can my lawyer scream at me?

If your attorney yells and screams at you, you can look for another attorney, but consider that you have to share your burden of communication with your new attorney. You may find yourself in the same situation with a new attorney if you don't meet your burden. No. It's unprofessional.

Is it normal to not hear from your lawyer?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.Oct 25, 2018

Losing Your Right to Confidentiality: Speaking in A Public Place

Suppose you discuss your case with your attorney in a restaurant, loud enough for other diners to overhear the conversation. Can they testify to wh...

Losing Your Right to Confidentiality: Jailhouse Conversations Via Phone

Jailhouse conversations between defendants and their attorneys are considered confidential, as long as the discussion takes place in a private area...

Losing Your Right to Confidentiality: Inviting Others to Be Present

For perfectly understandable reasons, defendants sometimes want their parents, spouses, or friends to be present when they consult with their lawye...

Losing Your Right to Confidentiality: Sharing The Conversation With Others Later

Blabbermouth defendants waive (give up) the confidentiality of lawyer-client communications when they disclose those statements to someone else (ot...

Protect Your Banking Information.

Many people feel completely safe when banking online, but protecting your banking information has never been more important. Cybercriminals can tak...

Avoid Posting Vacation Details.

You may not be the only one excited that you’re posting a status update about your upcoming trip. Unless your Facebook status updates are completel...

Protect Your Employment record.

Status updates aren’t just for talking to your friends and followers; they can also give a future employer a quick gauge as to what type of employe...

Manage Your Business Online reputation.

If you run a business online, you know that practicing business reputation management is something you must do on a daily basis. Failure to protect...

Secure Your Credit Card Information.

Credit card scams are on the rise. Although improvements to SSL technology have allowed you to feel more secure using your cards online, it’s still...

Gain Admission to The School of Your Choice.

In much the same way that your social network status updates and tweets can prevent you from gaining a new job, they can also damage any chances yo...

Defend Yourself in Legal Proceedings.

Being involved in a lawsuit is stressful, but if you’re leaking personal data on the Web you could damage your ability to win your case. Never shar...

Guard Your Medical Information.

Posting your personal information on the Web can prevent you from receiving adequate medical care. Criminals troll websites specifically looking fo...

Personal Information

1. Your basic information: full name, date of birth, and social security number.

Financial Information

29. A list of all joint and separate bank accounts, savings accounts, C.D.’s, Credit Union accounts, Savings Bonds and Stocks and Mutual Funds.

Who Are the Important People in Your Life?

This is probably the most important question an estate planning attorney will ask you. Family set up greatly affects the estate planning process. In fact, some states have laws that won’t let a person write certain relatives out of a will. Are you married? Most states protect spouses from being written out of a will.

What Do Your Finances Look Like?

Putting together a list of your finances will help your estate planning attorney make the best decisions for your financial future. Since most states have estate and gift tax laws for assets that exceeds certain amounts, you’ll need to make your attorney aware of every asset and liability to your name.

What Do You Want to Give Away?

Once you take out any spousal shares and pay off liabilities of the estate, it’s time to talk personal bequeathments. Do you want to leave a sum of money to your favorite niece? Do you want to set up a trust fund for your children? How about those heirloom pearls your mother gave you?

Do You Have Life Insurance?

Life insurance also falls under contract law as well, which means it will be distributed according to the life insurance policy. You can, however, list a trust as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy and the terms of a trust can be contained within a will.

Have You Gone Through a Divorce?

Believe it or not, this question matters. Depending on the terms of a divorce settlement agreement, your estate planning attorney will need to know if your ex-spouse has any claims to child support, alimony, retirement accounts, or life insurance proceeds.

All the Questions No One Wants to Answer

Unfortunately, estate planning means answering tough questions. Are you aware of any life-threatening illnesses? What are your wishes for after you’ve passed? If you have any specific wishes or religious requests, these are things your estate planning attorney will want to know.

Where Can You Find the Right Lawyer?

Planning out your will may seem like a tedious process, but an experienced estate lawyer can help you navigate through the ins and outs of planning for your future.

How to distribute property in a will?

The entire purpose of a will is to distribute your assets to the people you wish to inherit your property. This is done by first identifying the property you have (referred to as assets) and then designating the people you choose as beneficiaries to inherit these assets. Consequently, you need to bring copies of any and all paperwork related to your assets to your lawyer visit. Common assets people leave to others in their will include the following: 1 Deeds to any and all real estate 2 The titles of any vehicles 3 Checking account statements 4 Savings account statements 5 Money market account statements 6 Stocks 7 Bonds 8 Retirement accounts 9 Other investments 10 Jewelry 11 Art 12 Timeshares

What is the purpose of a will?

The entire purpose of a will is to distribute your assets to the people you wish to inherit your property. This is done by first identifying the property you have (referred to as assets) and then designating the people you choose as beneficiaries to inherit these assets.

What information do you need to include in a will?

Further, if you designate a trustee or representative or if you designate a temporary or permanent guardian for your children in your will, you must include their name, address, and other contact information .

Do you need a list of debts to provide an attorney?

In addition to providing a detailed list of assets in a manner that allows them to be easily identified and located, an individual must provide their attorney with a list of debts. Debts that you should provide documentation of include, but are not limited to, the following:

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone gains access to your personal information and pretends to be you online. Individuals who have accessed your personal data can retrieve your login information for various websites or commit cyber crimes such as tax fraud, all while posing as you.

How many characters should a password have?

Use strong passwords: The two most popular passwords for 2018 were “123456” and “password.”. Don’t make this mistake. A strong password should contain at least 12 characters; include numbers, symbols, and capital letters; not be a dictionary word; and not rely on obvious substitutions like “H0use.”.

Is it safe to keep personal information?

If you think your personal information is secure, think again. Keeping your information safe is now the exception, not the rule. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, an astounding 64% of Americans have had their personal information exposed by a data breach of some kind.

What is SSL encryption?

Encrypt your data: Make sure you have transitioned to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, which allows you to transmit sensitive information, such as login credentials and credit card numbers, securely between a client, like a web browser, and a server. 6. Protect your freedom of thought.

How much does a data breach cost?

If you own a business, you have even more reasons to worry about data privacy. A single data breach costs American businesses an average of $7 million, taking into account the firm’s direct financial loss, business disruption, regulatory fines, and credit monitoring and identity theft repair services.

Can cyber criminals take your money?

Cyber criminals can take your banking information and make unauthorized withdrawals, purchases, and transfers. Although financial websites are encrypted, there are still steps you should take to ensure your money is as safe as possible:

What is digital footprint?

This means that all of your online activities, such as what types of things you purchase and which groups you associate with, can affect your ability to obtain coverage and whether or not a company will pay out on a claim.

Jefferson W. Boone

To the extent that the lawyer is doing the work of the personal representative, he/she might need all of the above. If the lawyer is merely filling out the requisite forms, etc.

John P Corrigan

Depends on the scope of services to be rendered by the attorney as administration could result in helping set up rollover accounts for IRA's or other pension plans for one.

Michael S. Haber

The only documents that the attorney absolutely needs is a will (if there was one) and a certified copy of the death certificate (and sometimes a death certificate for a pre-deceased spouse). Beyond those documents, copies are fine.

Patricia Ann Powis

Most of the information can be kept by the executor or administrator of the estate. The lawyer representing the fiduciary may prefer to work where they retain the original records but it is not a requirement.

Do you have to give your SS number?

You don't have to give your SS#, but more than likely, if you don't, the other side will ask the Court to order you to and if you don't comply with the judge's order, the judge is likely to kick your case out of court. The other side is allowed to discover anything that could likely be admissible in the case. Presuming you have an injury case, almost all your medical records will be indexed by SS# and they will need the number to get those records. Your income records will be indexed that way too. The other side is entitled to get those records if you are claiming injuries and lost income. Good luck.

Is it legal to ask an attorney to ask questions?

No, it is not illegal. A person can ask for anything, but whether the attorney can force you to produce the information is a different question. Since you want to know if an attorney can ask, the answer is yes he or she can ask. It is legal also for the lawyer to have you ask questions over the phone as well.