Contemporary Articles

During all legal proceedings, such as in court or in a law office when a deposition is being taken, there is a stenographer recording what is being said. Sometimes, during corporate board meetings there is a secretary taking minutes of the meeting. At some point, those minutes or court events must be put into a format that can be read by anyone and, if necessary, referred to later. This is accomplished by transcribing the notes.

When the notes from these proceedings are transcribed, the result is a transcription, usually a typed record of what was said during the court hearing or the meeting. It could even be a typed record of what a surgeon said during surgical procedures or a doctor says during an examination.

Services that type up these notes are called transcription services. They are provided to clients who pay, usually, a fee for each page. The person for does the typing, the transcriber must be very skilled, especially if they are transcribing from a recording as they must be able to keep up with speed of the speaker. The typing must be done quickly and accurately.

Some transcription companies work with a specific clientele, such as banks or insurance companies. This ensures that their typists are familiar with industry terms and spellings and this helps increase the speed of the transcription without loss of accuracy. Some entities have their own in house transcription services such as courthouses. This way the transcription can be readied quickly, available for subsequent court dates. It also makes it easy for a defendant or plaintiff to easily obtain a copy of they so choose.

Finally, there are transcription services that will work for any company. While they might have specialists within the company who handle certain types of documents, these companies are available to anyone who requires a typed copy of any type of meeting.

In a claims process, it is important to understand the role of the injury attorney. Contrary to the opinions of many, it is not always necessary to hire legal representation in order to win a personal injury settlement. In many cases you can pursue personal injury settlements and taxes without the cost of legal counsel. However, there are a few pros and cons you should be aware of before making a final decision.

The primary advantages to hiring an attorney are the following:

1) They will do the research, collect evidence, and construct a solid case for you especially if you are involved in an accident that caused wrongful death of a person.

2) They know how to determine the value of your injury.

3) They can negotiate with insurance companies and have valuable experience in doing so.

The primary disadvantage is that if the lawyer wins the settlement, they will receive roughly 33% of the proceeds. However, if the attorney does not prevail, you will not be charged for any of his fees. This type of arrangement with an attorney is called a contingency fee basis. This allows you to have all the benefits of an attorney explained above, without having to pay any upfront charges.

In an accident injury claim, if your injuries were minor, it might be worth considering handling the process yourself. But where there were serious injuries suffered, with much higher medical costs, having an experienced attorney might not be such a bad idea. Probably the first step would be to request a consultation, which is normally free of charge. This gives you and the lawyer a chance to discuss the case and to decide on working together. At one point, you will get an explanation of the attorney’s Retainer Agreement, which describes the specifics of the service and payment. It should also indicate that payment is only due if he obtains the settlement for you. Otherwise, there is no charge.

Although many accident victims file their own personal injury claims without an attorney, it would be wise to at least consult with an attorney before you make that final decision.