KLG’s series, Fundamentals of Prosecuting and Defending Lawsuits in Hawaii, continues with a discussion of litigation events leading up to trial and examines alternatives to resolving disputes outside of litigation.

Robert Klein is well-versed in the area of Elder Law, especially in the area of protecting elders from financial, physical, and/or mental abuse and holding abusers responsible for taking advantage of disabled elders.

This post discusses various tools at the lawyer’s disposal during the discovery phase of litigation, and continues KLG’s series, Fundamentals of Prosecuting and Defending Lawsuits in Hawaii.

You may own a Hyundai or Kia vehicle that has been recalled by the manufacturer due to serious fire hazards related to the catalytic converter overheating.

Our clients often ask us: How does a lawsuit work, and what are the next steps in my case?  In response to their inquiring minds, we are publishing a series of related posts titled, the Fundamentals of Prosecuting and Defending Lawsuits in Hawaii.   

What is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

Under Hawaii law, each auto insurance policy must include liability coverage of at least $20,000/person, $40,000/accident. Your liability coverage pays damages to others resulting from your covered negligence. Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage is essentially the “mirror image” of liability coverage. UM/UIM coverage protects you, other people named as insured under your policy, and your resident relatives from the negligence of others.

If you have automobile insurance in Hawaii, you probably know that Hawaii law requires you to carry a minimum of $10,000 in no-fault personal injury protection (“PIP”) coverage. PIP is optional on motorcycle policies. If your budget will allow, there are several reasons why you should consider increasing your PIP coverage.

Personal injury cases are torts—wrongful acts, whether intentional or accidental, that result in an injury to another person. Attorney fees in tort cases are usually incurred on a contingency basis. That means the attorney fees, which are usually a percentage amount, are paid out of any settlement, judgment, or award achieved by the lawyer for the client. If there is no recovery, no attorney fees are owed. This arrangement offers peace of mind to the client, reflects the investment an attorney necessarily makes in a tort case, and ultimately results in a fair apportionment of any recovery obtained.