Recent Success Stories
Client contacted our office for assistance with annual tax credits they were being denied for insurance coverage. Client purchased health insurance coverage for his family through Marketplace, which applies the amount of premium assistance a person receives in the form of advance payments of the premium tax credit that are paid directly to the insurance company. Client recently received a letter from Marketplace saying Client’s son was insured through Medicaid or CHIP, so they were no longer eligible for the tax credit. Client asserts he did not enroll his son in Medicaid or CHIP. He went to the Georgia Medicaid Office and they had no record or information on his son and said an error must have been made. Our attorney wrote a letter to Marketplace Appeals Department requesting that they reverse their decision and properly apply his tax credits to his family’s policy. In response to our letter, they approved the appeal and allowed the annual tax credit to apply. Savings to Client, $17,976.00.
Client contacted our office for assistance regarding an issue he was having with an opposing party’s insurance company. Client’s daughter was driving his wife’s car when she was rear-ended by a commercial vehicle. When they contacted the company that owned the commercial vehicle, they were sent a Power of Attorney and a tow truck picked up the car. Client and wife signed the Power of Attorney but were not provided with an offer on the vehicle. After four months of trying to contact the insurance company and work out something on their own, the matter was still unresolved. Our attorney wrote a letter to the insurance company demanding that they process the claim and immediately pay Clients for the total loss. In addition, the attorney demanded reimbursement for the rideshare service they had to use once the rental car was canceled. In response to our letter, the insurance company paid the lienholder for the value of the car and reimbursed Client for the rideshare expenses. Recovery for Client, $14,091.00.
Client contacted our office for assistance regarding a previously-owned car that he purchased from a dealership. When Client purchased the car, he thought the sales contract said that he had seven days to cancel if any repairs that had to be made cost over $1,000.00. Client took the vehicle to a mechanic and it had major problems with the engine and transmission. The repairs would cost over $3,000.00. Client reached out to the dealership and was told the seven days was a warranty for repairs, but they disputed the cost for the repairs. Our attorney coached Client on how to return the vehicle or get it replaced with a different one. The dealership agreed to accept the return of the vehicle. Recovery for Client, $6,200.00.
School Is Back In Session: What Parents Should Know About Their Children’s Education
Summer vacation is over and our children are back in school. Both students and parents may be apprehensive about the new school year. Parents may need to sign several consent forms, and review handbooks, correspondences, or other important school documents. There is a tremendous influx of information at the beginning of the new academic year and rules and regulations may seem complicated and overwhelming. Parents may need to ask administrators what services the schools are supposed to provide their child and what their children’s rights are under the law. Our Attorneys often respond to the worries and concerns of parents and have frequently addressed the following topics with our clients:
DisciplineParents may want to review student handbooks or Student Code of Conduct regarding discipline policies. Title 20, Chapter 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) outlines school discipline procedures. Schools must provide notice to the student of any wrongdoing and give the student the opportunity to tell his/her side of the story.
Attendance School systems actively monitor a student’s attendance, and in the event of an attendance issue, may refer parents to their truancy programs or assign them to a social worker prior to getting the courts involved. Parents may be charged with educational neglect if their children have more than five unexcused absences.
Student RecordsParents have the right to review their child’s school records and make sure they are accurate. If there are inaccuracies and discrepancies, they may be corrected at the request of a parent. Like medical records, school records are also confidential and require parental authorization for these records to be released.
Students With Disabilities or Special NeedsUnder state and federal laws, students with disabilities are entitled to receive free-public school education. Schools must interactively engage with parents to assess the child’s issues and inform them what resources are available. Parents may also disagree with the school’s assessment(s), in which case a parent can request a meeting, mediation or hearing to appeal the school’s determination.
Please call our law firm if you have any questions and an attorney will be happy to discuss your concerns and answer any questions you may have. We wish our clients and their children a successful academic year!
2019 Firm Holiday Closings
Labor Day- September 2 (Monday)
Thanksgiving- November 28 – 29 (Thursday & Friday)
Christmas- December 24 – 25 (Tuesday & Wednesday)