Class Action Lawsuits
First of all, let me say that anyone who has been in any way hurt or injured by any other party and settled through a class action lawsuit, disregard this article. I am more interested in the little frivolous lawsuits that award pitiful amounts to offended parties who most likely had no idea they were offended.
There are habitual class action participators and then there are the lucky ones who find themselves on the receiving end of a check to settle a dispute they were most likely never aware of in the first place. And the best part is the size of the checks, often in amounts less than the stamps used to mail them. Nothing like getting a check for fourteen cents in the mail says L. Matthews, whose settlement check in the landmark case against American Express Centurion Bank just arrived.
Sometimes the amount isn't the issue as much as the stipulations surrounding the acceptance of the settlement. In Los Angeles, a judge approved an agreement calling for Sony Pictures Entertainment to pay $1.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the studio of citing a fake movie critic in ads for several films, an attorney said Tuesday.
Moviegoers who saw the films "Vertical Limit," "A Knight's Tale," "The Animal," "Hollow Man" or "The Patriot" during their original theater runs must file a claim to be eligible for a $5 per ticket reimbursement, said lawyer Norman Blumenthal, who represented a group of filmgoers who sued Sony Pictures in 2001. What do they do when the 1.5 million runs out? You have to assume more than 300,000 tickets were sold between the four movies.
I have been awarded three ridiculous checks as settlement for things I wasn't truly injured by. I am proud to say those checks; totaling $7.41 were not and never will be cashed. Cashing them would be condoning the practice, where consumers get the pittance, and the attorneys pushing the cases get the nice cars. Me? I'm hoping for a direct hit by a dominoes delivery driver.
Jason Rigler
"Settlement Advocate" and consultant for Prosperity Partners Customer Service Department.
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Investing in Structured Settlements
Often some derelict will be awarded some huge amount of money from a noble company due to a run away jury in a Kangaroo Court. Since many times the company paying the money out agrees on a structured over time settlement, the plaintiff of course is a lowly human and has lots of desires for riches and he has little if any cranial capacity to understand the enormous gift the courts have grated him as our nation turns in to a socialist quagmire of re-distributing wealth to those who do not deserve it.
Structured Settlement as an Investment Vehicle
You always hear people talking about the latest investment vehicle they're using. It's water cooler talk, dinner table talk, phone talk, it's everywhere talk.
Structured Settlement - Guaranteed Income for those with Disabilities
Up until twenty years ago, anyone who won a lawsuit as a result of a claim involving worker's compensation, wrongful death or accident had to accept a lump sum payment as their compensation. The payment would be intended to be invested, with the beneficiary living off of the proceeds for as long as their recovery was expected to take.
The Cost of Not Having Money
The self-esteem factor of not having enough money is underestimated. You know what I mean don't you? The agony of financially struggling and the ecstasy of financial abundance are dramatically different moments in a person's life.
When Should You Not Cash Out Your Annuity?
You should not cash out your annuity when it's not in your best interest. Here are 3 reasons it might not be in your best interest; it's too soon, you don't have a good enough reason, it will cost you too much.
Structured Settlement Factoring
Have you received a structured settlement recently? A structured settlement can be a good thing if you have been a victim of malfeasance, have been severely injured or can no longer physically work. Structured settlements will help you pay bills.
Class Action Lawsuits
First of all, let me say that anyone who has been in any way hurt or injured by any other party and settled through a class action lawsuit, disregard this article. I am more interested in the little frivolous lawsuits that award pitiful amounts to offended parties who most likely had no idea they were offended.
Structured Settlements Are Like Ants
Ants are powerful creatures. The powerful ant legs are able to lift 20 times their body weight, and run the equivalent of a man running as fast as a racehorse.
The Target Capital Structure
Firms can choose whatever mix of debt and equity they desire to finance their assets, subject to the willingness of investors to provide such funds. And, as we shall see, there exist many different mixes of debt and equity, or capital structures - in some firms, such as Chrysler Corporation, debt accounts for more than 70 percent of the financing, while other firms, such as Microsoft, have little or no debt.
Making Backwards Choices
I was reading this past week about a woman who lost 170 lbs in 9 months by eating backwards. She had breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast.
Lucky
Have you ever looked around and wondered how everyone is buying houses? Are they really doing that much better than you are? Maybe. Maybe not.
Offshore Asset Protection Trusts for US Citizens
When it comes to discussing offshore anything and US citizens - from offshore trusts to investments, from offshore banking to company incorporation - it's important to note the following facts: -- US citizens are taxed on their worldwide income. This includes income from interest, dividends and gains whether onshore or offshore.
What is Structured Settlement?
Because it is tailor-made for individual cases, the structure may also include some immediate payment to cover special damages. The payment is usually made through purchase of an annuity from a Life Insurance Company.
The Cash Now Question
If you have ever been in a bind for cash you know the stress, the weight of not being able to pay your bills. In these desperate times, desperate measures are often taken.
What is a Structured Settlement
A Structured Settlement is an agreement between a personal injury victim ( a Plaintiff ) and an Insurance company ( the Defendant )to compensate the Plaintiff by the defendant with long term periodicpayments instead of a single cash lump sum.Payments can be tailored to each individual plaintiffs needs, to help meet expenses such as on-going medical and living expenses, education, children needs & support etc' The fixed annuity payments are tax-free to the claimant, a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) feature is available, that can help offset the effects of inflation over time, payments can continue as long as the claimant lives thus providing him the maximum benefits.
What is a Trust and what are the Benefits?
Trusts are becoming a popular way to structure business and personal affairs. If you are considering using a trust in any way, you should be clear on the legal obligations and the relationships involved.
Individual Voluntary Arrangements. IVA
What is an IVA?There is an alternative to bankruptcy called an "Individual Voluntary Arrangement" (IVA). This is a formal arrangement through the county court to pay an agreed amount off your debts over a shorter period.
Cash For Structured Settlements - The Smart Way
For most people when they buy a house it is considered their life's largest deal. In some cases of structured settlements the compensation and financial considerations for a persons life duration and the total present value of the settlement can reach few millions of dollars.
If This Describes You, Dont Cash out Your Annuity
There are companies that purchase future payments. Personal injury settlements are often structured to pay out over time.
Unstructured Settlement
Me'Lisa Delaney, 43, is brain-injured as a result of a 1984 medical error that caused a stroke during surgery. The hospital agreed to settle via a structured settlement, as overseen by a county conservatorship.