C. STEVEN MOSKOS, P.A.
  • Home
  • About Steve Moskos
    • Meet Steve
    • Community Involvement
    • Memberships
  • Practice Areas
    • Consumer Law >
      • Auto Fraud
      • Flood-Damaged Vehicles
      • Lemon Law
      • Unfair Debt Collections
  • Case Results
  • Contact Us
    • New vehicle contact form
    • Used Car Contact Form
  • Blog

How has COVID Affected Lawyers?

2/23/2021

 
Like other businesses, law firms are experiencing huge challenges as they learn to adjust and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Many areas of law are struggling while others are in high demand.  With most courts closed, business is not going as usual.

When the pandemic first started, many law offices took precautionary steps to protect their staff and their clients.  Travel was banned to hot spots, and employees were asked to work from home.  When the crisis got worse, staff were let go; many support workers lost their jobs.  Law offices were among those considered “non-essential” and had to close for several weeks.

Litigators and those who work on contingency cases were the most drastically affected by the pandemic.  Since courts were closed, no hearings, trials, or depositions could occur. Those offices are still facing an uncertain financial future as the crisis shows no signs of ending soon.

Also affected are lawyers who specialize in business mergers and acquisitions.  Their clients are too nervous about an uncertain future to make any large financial decisions.  Businesses are waiting for the pandemic to be over before spending large amounts of money.

However, there are certain branches of law that are seeing a large increase in clients.  Attorneys who specialize in insurance are needed to help clients understand coverage and exclusions.  Employment lawyers are advising companies in regards to employee safety and layoffs.  Attorneys who specialize in cyber security are in high demand now due to the number of businesses that are working remotely.  These three types of attorneys are expected to be desperately needed for the foreseeable future even as the pandemic comes to an end.

Law firms are making changes to how they serve their clients while the COVID crisis goes on. 
Many are serving their clients through video calls and virtual meetings.  Lawyers are still writing letters and briefs to help their clients.

​When the COVID crisis is over, lawyers will, most likely, be deluged by both old and new cases.  Most experts agree that the skills lawyers used to weather the pandemic, such as working remotely, using videoconferencing, and keeping a smaller staff, will continue for months or years after the crisis is over.

 

How to Find your Credit Reports and Why you Should Dispute Incorrect Information

2/16/2021

 
Knowing your credit score before you apply for a loan or credit card can help you receive the best interest rates. The information in your credit report can also be used by your employer, if you apply for insurance or if you want to rent an apartment or a car.  With identity theft becoming a bigger problem due to the pandemic, it is even more important that you check your credit reports and correct any wrong information.

Checking your credit reports is easy.  You can request a copy of your report from any credit reporting agency and they must provide it to you. When you request your credit report, consumer reporting companies will need to make sure you are who you say you are.  Be ready to provide personal information.

​Most companies allow one free report per year, but policies have changed due to COVID and you may be able to get more than one free report a year.  Contact the consumer report provider and ask about their policies.

Picture
When you get your report (and be aware that each provider may have different information – it’s a good idea to get a copy from each of the national providers), look it over carefully and compare any debts to your records.  Make sure your name, birthday and Social Security number are correct.  If you find incorrect information, the agency you received that report from must start an investigation at no cost to you.

Mistakes are easily made, but a mistake on your credit report could cost you a job or cause you to be turned down for a loan or insurance.  This is why it is a good idea to check your report if you will be applying for a loan in the future.  A good report can help you get the loan and a lower interest rate.  If someone has stolen your identity, you may realize it sooner if you are checking your reports often.

​Consumer reporting companies can provide information about you to insurance companies, utility companies, gaming casinos that extend credit, landlords, lenders, and retail stores, just to name a few.  Remember, you rarely know in advance that a business is going to be checking your credit report so you want it to be free of errors at all times.

Picture
The three big national providers of consumer reports are TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.  These agencies collect information about how much credit you have and use, your payment history and other personal information.  Most people only think of these three providers when they are thinking about their credit report, but there are many more consumer report providers.
  • Employment Screening – these companies provide information such as salary, education, professional license verification, and credit history to your employers and other people.
  • Tenant Screening – these businesses provide reports to landlords and property management companies.  If the information they have is negative, such as past due rent, you may not be able to sign a lease.
  • Personal Property Insurance – these companies collect information on your home, personal property and vehicle.
  • Medical – if you signed a release of information to an insurance company, these businesses may have your medical information to share.
  • Bank and Check Screening – these agencies collect information about your checking account applications, accounts you have opened or close and provide check verification services.
  • Supplementary Reports – the information they have can include public records, such as a divorce, and identification verification to help businesses manage fraud and credit risks.
  • Subprime and low-income – these businesses provide information to companies that sell products and services that are for people with low income or negative credit reports.
  • Gaming – these companies share information associated with check cashing settlement services to help gaming establishments (casinos or racetracks) with risk management.
  • Utilities – these consumer reporting companies gather all of the information in regards to all of your utilities, such as electric, phone, internet, gas, and others to help utility companies manage customer relations.
  • Retail – these businesses collect data related to retail product returns and exchanges to help prevent fraud.
To find a complete list of companies that provide consumer reports, go to https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/consumer-reporting-companies/.  Remember, they must provide you with a copy of the information they have about you.  Contact the company to correct information and ask them to investigate your claim. If you feel the consumer report provider is not investigating or you don’t agree with their final report, you can contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or a lawyer for more help.

    Top Read Posts

    • Can I return a car within 72 hours? 
    • If a car I buy is defective, can I return it within 72 hours? 
    • Does Carfax tell me everything I need to know before I buy a car? 

      follow our blog! 

    Subscribe to Our Blog

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    October 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013

    Categories

    All
    Arbitration
    Attorney/client Process
    Buying A Car
    Car Dealer
    Car Defects
    Car Loans
    Car Manufacturer
    Car Recalls
    Car Trouble
    Consumer Law
    Credit
    Debt
    Debt Collection
    Defective Car
    Disinfecting A Car
    Flooded Cars
    Hiring An Attorney
    Insurance
    Lawyers
    Legal Advice
    Lemon Law
    Links
    Loans
    Looking Ahead In The Car Business
    Luxury Cars
    Mobile Home
    New Cars
    News
    Pandemic
    Repossession
    Top Posts
    Used Cars
    Working With An Attorney

    RSS Feed


                                                                                             Privacy Policy

Disclaimer 



Attorney C. Steven Moskos is responsible for the content of this website. Principal Office: 6650 Rivers Ave. STE 210, north Charleston, SC 29406

We appreciate you coming to our website, however, the information we have here should not be construed as formal legal advice nor should you believe we have established a lawyer/client relationship.  This website is for informational purposes only.  Contacting C. Steven Moskos, PA through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and C. Steven Moskos, PA. This law firm must investigate your case, evaluate it, do a check for conflicts-of-interest, and sign a written retainer agreement with you before you become a client.


In addition, the information contained on this website is not intended to guarantee that we can produce the same results for you that we have produced for others. Each case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. 

for more legal stuff, see our disclaimer page.