THE EFFECT OF THE SLAYER’S ACT ON PERSONAL INJURY CASES
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA Occasionally, a personal injury case arises out of the intentional killing of one person by another. Frequently, the killer is a family member of the decedent. Under the Wrongful Death Act, normally the survival claim is paid to the estate of the decedent. If there is a Will, the Will frequently…
PERSONAL INJURY SETTLEMENTS AND SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS: SETTING CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA If a client receiving a personal injury settlement also receives certain public benefits such as SSI and many forms of Medicaid, a Special Needs Trust is required to preserve those benefits. Special Needs Trusts entail restrictions and a small minority of clients would rather give up their…
PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS PART 4
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA General This is the fourth part of a five-part series dealing with planning for individuals with special needs. Part 1 discussed the reasons to establish a trust. Part 2 discussed Self-Settled Special Needs Trusts (SSSNTs). Part 3 discussed Third Party Special Needs Trusts (TPSNT). This article will focus on…