dental negligence

Reasons to Claim Against Your Dentist

Many people worry about going to the dentist and often feel nervous or apprehensive even at the thought of treatment. Usually, treatment goes well and they leave the dental surgery feeling relieved, with their dental worries resolved.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes people are left suffering from unnecessary damage, stress and pain after a trip to the dentist. But you should never suffer in silence.

If you feel you’ve received negligent treatment from your dentist, it’s worth finding out whether you can receive compensation by making a claim against them.

What Dental Problems Can You Claim For?

There are many reasons why you may be able to file a claim for dental negligence against your dentist or dental surgery. Here are just a few of them:

  • Incorrect teeth extraction
  • Infections due to lack of care
  • Later complications caused by a failure to diagnose dental conditions
  • Poor application of anaesthetic
  • Problems caused due to insufficiently trained or qualified staff
  • Failing to check medical history or allergies
  • Failure of cosmetic restoration work

Dental negligence can have long-lasting effects that may leave permanent damage to your mouth, teeth or gums even after receiving further corrective surgery. This may not only leave physical damage; you are equally susceptible to potential psychological trauma.

It’s terrible to have been left in a place of pain after undertaking something designed to solve a problem. Even though compensation may not resolve the resulting pain or trauma, it can help ease the financial burden, especially if you need to pay for further corrective work or if you lost time at work owing to the negligence.

How to Claim for Dental Negligence

Mistakes can happen with dental surgery or treatment, but you shouldn’t have to pay the price. If your dentist has caused you suffering, you may be able to claim for dental negligence.

Our team at Mark Reynolds Solicitors are experts in dental negligence. To discuss a claim, contact one of our experienced team today.

what is a will

What is a Will?

Simply, a Will is a legal document that sets out your instructions for your accumulated wealth to be disposed of after your death.

There are many reasons for putting off making a Will “it’s tempting fate”, “I have nothing to leave” and “my family knows who gets what”.

A Will can be made by anyone over the age of 18 with testamentary capacity, i.e. a person’s legal and mental ability to make or alter a valid will. In most cases in our experienced people will be more likely to make a Will when key events happen to them, upon marriage, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one.

With a more varied mix and types of families today, making a Will is potentially one of the most important steps that you may take to ensure can bring certainty and peace of mind that your spouse, family, friends and charities receive your intended gift.

It is important to remember that couples and same-sex partners who are not married or in a civil partnership have no automatic right to inherit if there is no Will.

At Mark Reynolds Solicitors, our specialist solicitors will help you make sure that your estate passes to those you intend to benefit.

We also provide specialist advice we can provide includes, inheritance tax planning, asset protection, business assets, charitable legacies, jointly owned property, trusts and many other aspects that will be unique to the individual’s circumstances.

employment law 2018

Employment Law Changes in 2018

Employment law changes frequently, so it’s advisable to remain completely up to date with the latest legislation for compliance purposes. Read on to learn more about the latest amendments to employment law.

Gender pay gap reports

One of the latest changes to the law is that large employers now have deadlines for reporting gender pay gaps. Large employers are counted as those with at least 250 members of staff. The deadline for private and voluntary sector employers is the 4th April, with public sectors meeting a 30th March deadline. Pay gap reports must feature on employer websites, be easily accessible to the public and must stay on sites for a minimum of three years. Employers are also being instructed to upload their results to the relevant Government site. Some employers are voluntarily adding extra information in the form of notes to contextualise their figures, particularly those with substantial gender pay gaps.

Living and minimum wage changes

Employer national insurance contributions on termination payments over £30,000 take effect from 6th April 2019.  Payments in lieu are to be treated as non-taxable. The national living wage for workers aged 25 or over is now £7.83. Workers aged 21 to 24 must now be paid at least £7.38 an hour, with those aged 18 to 20 requiring £5.90. Workers aged under 18 that are no longer of compulsory school age are to be paid at least £4.20 per hour. Human resources departments are obliged to keep accurate payment records to show they have adhered to minimum wage legislation.

Sick and redundancy pay

The weekly rate of statutory sick pay has risen to £92.05. Statutory maternity, shared parental pay, adoption and paternity pay is now £145.18 per week. The maximum award for unfair dismissal has now risen to

£83, 682 for dismissals occurring from 6th April 2018. Those made redundant with two years’ service can receive a maximum of £508 per week.

GDPR compliance

GDPR is now in place, and there has been an inevitable rise on employees and candidates wishing to see which information companies hold about them. HR departments have a big role to play when it comes to ensuring data about their employees is being processed fairly and legally. Employers have been producing privacy statements for job applicants to tell them how their information is to be processed. The statement can be incorporated into web-based application statements, though the confusion about GDPR has led to a substantial number of organisations seeking legal advice about complying with the new legislation.

Why Mark Reynolds?

At Mark Reynolds Solicitors, we can come to your assistance if you need any help and advice on adhering to the latest employment laws. We offer a range of services for employees and employers and can provide clear, understandable and useful advice on various matters related to employment law. To get in touch with us today, simply call 0800 002 9577. We can provide the first-class legal assistance you deserve.

wills, trusts & estates

Mark Reynolds Solicitors Launches New Wills And Probate Division

Mark Reynolds Solicitors have announced the expansion of its Wills, Trusts and Estates Department with the addition of specialist legal support for elderly clients.

The new Elderly Client service will be led by Wills and Probate expert Carl Marston. Carl, who served as regional Chairman of Solicitors for the Elderly in the Cheshire and Staffordshire District, has over 20 years of experience in this field. He has written extensively on the subject and offers free seminars to organisations and support groups with an interest in wills and probate planning.

Carl said: “It’s widely accepted that people are living longer, but fewer than than half of adults are thought to have set up a Will. I completely understand people put off making a Will, but without it there could be serious implications both financial and personal for your surviving spouse or partner. In the absence of a Will, you may not be able to leave money and possessions to the people who mean the most to you. Getting your Will properly prepared gives peace of mind and ensures you to know your loved ones will be taken care of when you die.”

The continued growth of the firms Wills, Trusts and Estates Department underpins Mark Reynolds Solicitors’ commitment to the provision of legal services specifically for retired and older people. The team now provides a range of Elderly client services which include the formation and management of trusts, powers of attorney, Court of Protection, asset protection as well as care home fees planning and challenges to care fees.

Carl said: “This is a very complex area so it’s really important that people know they are working with a team of specialist solicitors who will put their needs first. Our approach is to help our clients navigate the law and get the very best outcome for themselves and their loved ones.”

The launch of the Wills, Trusts and Estates Department and the new elderly client services is the next step in the continued growth of Mark Reynolds Solicitors. The firm now has five offices across Liverpool, Runcorn, Warrington and Leigh, with divisions covering Personal Injury, Medical Negligence and Employment Law. Carl is based out of the Warrington office but works across the north west region.

consultancy agreement

Does My Business Need A Consultancy Agreement

If you run a business and are considering taking on a consultant, you will need to get a suitable contract in place to protect all concerned. When you draw up a consultancy agreement, you can put clear terms and conditions in place, whether the consultant is a company or an individual. A growing number of companies are taking on consultants, with the gig economy consisting of not just consultants but a wealth of freelancers and contractors.

The rise of the consultant

Consulting is much more prominent than it was a decade or so ago. Consultants no longer simply come in the form of IT professionals and management professionals. A wide range of industries are now home to consultants providing various services. The agreement that you create should clearly describe the services that the consultant is expected to provide, also making it clear what duties will not be carried out as part of the arrangement. This can help prevent a great deal of confusion and assumption arising from the business-consultant relationship.

What to include in your agreement

The agreement should also include detailed information about payment terms. It should include details on how much will be paid, how often and when the payment will be made. The invoicing process must reflect the terms of the agreement. The agreement should also consist of information on intellectual property rights, including details on whether the consultant has any legal right to the IP created. The specific business relationship also needs to be outlined in the contract to ensure the consultant cannot expect to be paid as an employed member of staff would, receiving sick and holiday pay unless this has been specifically agreed as part of the arrangement.

Bespoke agreements available

The contents of the agreement will need to be specific to your arrangement, which means off-the-shelf agreements and templates are rarely suitable for such projects. Help is available if you do need assistance with drawing up a suitable contract for your business-consultant relationship. At Mark Reynolds, we have vast experience in creating consultancy agreements and can help you produce a legally-binding document that all concerned are satisfied with. Those that fail to adhere to the terms of a legally-binding consultancy agreement can be met with legal action including claims for breach of contract or negligence.

Comply with legislation and avoid breaches

We have the experience and expertise needed to help you comply with employment laws and avoid tough penalties. We provide first-class services for a wide range of company owners, HR professionals, managers, executives and senior employees and can come to your assistance whether you’re an SME or large corporation. With our help, you can avoid disputes, penalties and Employment Tribunal Claims. Other employment services available from Mark Reynolds include policy drafting, redundancy advice, training, representation and advice on disciplinary issues, grievances, contracts, handbooks, settlements and termination agreements.

Contact us

To find out more about producing a consultancy agreement with Mark Reynolds, simply get in touch by completing the form on our website or by calling 0800 002 9577.

Mity o roszczeniach o odszkodowanie

Jeżeli ufasz nagłówkom gazet, to być może jesteś zdania, że mieszkańcy Wielkiej Brytanii to naród, który składa roszczenie o odszkodowanie przy każdej okazji. Jednakże w rzeczywistości, wszystkie reklamy i ogłoszenia zachęcające ludzi do składania roszczeń przedstawiają zupełnie inny stan rzeczy. Dział prawa zajmujący się odszkodowaniami w Wielkiej Brytanii jest stosunkowo niewielki i w związku z tym, wszystkie reklamy są skierowane do nielicznego grona osób.

Personal Injury and Clinical / Medical Negligence Lawyer

Dane opublikowane przez rząd pokazują, że ilość spraw o odszkodowanie spadła w ostatnich dwóch latach. W 2017 roku liczba porozumiem w sprawach odszkodowań zarejestrowanych przez the Government Compensation Recovery Unit wyniosła 1,013,490. W 2018 roku liczba ta spadła do 894,563. W 2019 zarejestrowano tylko 853,259. Uznaje się, że liczby te dotyczą tylko niewielkiej ilości osób, które mają podstawy do złożenia roszczenia o odszkodowanie, które zakończyłoby się sukcesem.

Mieszkańcy Wielkiej Brytanii nie lubią niepotrzebnej uwagi

Mieszkańcy Wielkiej Brytanii nie są skłonni do szybkiego rozpoczynania roszczenia o odszkodowanie kiedy doznali poważnych urazów. Informacje zebrane na przestrzeni wielu lat wskazują na istnienie kilku kluczowych trendów. O ile jedna czwarta społeczeństwa przyznaje, że rozpoczęliby roszczenie o odszkodowanie, ponad 80% uważa, że inni mają prawo do rozpoczęcia roszczenia. O ile zakończenie finansowania prowadzenia spraw o odszkodowanie w ramach programu Legal Aid zmniejszyło ilość spraw, inne czynniki również mają wpływ na opinie społeczeństwa.

‘Kultura odszkodowań’ nie istnieje

Artykuły w mediach skupiają się głównie na sprawach, które nie stanowią adekwatnej reprezentacji roszczeń z zakresu doznanych urazów ciała. Media bardzo rzadko wspominają o codzienniej, ciężkiej pracy, która pomaga w uzyskaniu właściwego odszkodowania dla osób, których życie ulego zmianie w wyniku odniesionych urazów.  Osoby te, muszą zmierzyć się z emocjonalnymi, finansowymi i zawodowymi konsekwencjami doznanych urazów. Rozbieżność pomiędzy rzeczywistością i artykułami prasowymi, może sugerować, że osoby składające roszczenia są chciwe lub nieczciwe. Jest to niesprawiedliwa opinia, oparta na zniekszatalconej analizie dostępnych informacji. Odszkodowanie ma na celu upewnienie się, że osoby, które były ofiarami wypadku mogą odbudować swoje życie.

Obawa przed stawieniem się w sądzie

Przekonanie, że aby uzyskać odszkodowanie, trzeba iść do sądu, jest szeroko rozpowszechnione. Powoduje to nieuzasadniony starch, który zniechęca ludzi do złożenia roszczenia. W rzeczywistości, znakomitą większość spraw kończy się na ugodzie, bez potrzeby udania się na salę rozpraw. W przypadku tych nielicznych spraw, gdzie Powód musi udać się do sądu, towarzyszyć mu będzie zawsze wyspecjalizowany adwokat. Adwokat również na samym początku sprawy oceni prawdopodobieństwo skierowania sprawy do sądu, tak więc klient będzie mógł podjąć decyzję po uzyskaniu wszystkich informacji.

Wysoki koszt prowadzenia roszczenia

Wiele osób obawia się, że rozpoczęcie roszczenia będzie wiązało się w wysokimi kosztami na początku sprawy, które będą musieli ponieść. Zniesienie pomocy w ramach Legal Aid w sprawach o odszkodowanie tylko wznocnilo te obawy. Istnieje również lęk, że jeżeli sprawa nie zakończy się powodzeniem, będą musieli zapłacić koszta prawne adwokata, na które ich nie stać. W ramach umowy typu No Win No Fee, prowadzenie sprawy jest wolne od ryzyka finansowego dla Powoda. Jeżeli adwokat uzna, że sprawa ma małe szanse powodzenia, to nie będzie zachęcał do rozpoczęcia roszczenia. Tylko jeżeli sprawa zakończy się sukcesem, koszty prawne zostaną potrącone z odszkodowania. Będą one stanowiły określony procent wysokości odszkodowania i kwestia ta będzie zawsze omówiona i uzgodniona przez rozpoczęciem sprawy.

Sprawy o odszkodowanie są skomplikowane

Istnieje opinia, że wszelkie sprawy związane z prawem są skomplikowane. Zwłaszcza, jeżeli chodzi o sprawy o odszkodowanie. W rzeczywistości procedura nie jest skomplikowana. Adwokat również wytłumaczy procedurę krok po kroku, wyjaśni wszystkie aspekty postępowania bez zbędnego żargonu prawniczego. Nawet jeżeli zdecydujemy, że niestety nie możemy zająć się sprawa, to zawsze wyjaśnimy dlaczego w jasny i przystępny sposób.

Możesz stracić pracę, jeżeli rozpoczniesz roszczenie

Jest to jedna z największych obaw wśród osób, które mogą rozważyć rozpoczęcie roszczenia o odszkodowanie. Pracownicy matrwia się, że pracodawca może podjąć decyzję o zwolnieniu pracownika, który rozpoczął roszczenie o odszkodowanie po wypadku w miejscu pracy. Należy podkreślić iż byłoby to nielegalne. Zwolnienie z pracy podlega bardzo restrykcyjnym regulacjom prawnym i zwolenienie pracownika lub niesprawiedliwe traktowanie pracownika, z uwagi na roszczenie o odszkodowanie za wypadek w pracy jest nielegalne. Jeżeli pracodawca postępuje w ten sposób to może ponieść dodatkowe konsekwencje prawne. W rzeczywistości, wielu pracodawców wyraża skruchę za wypadki z udziałem cenionych członków zespołu i robią wszystko co jest możliwe, aby pracownik otrzymał sprawiedliwe odszkodowanie. Celem roszczenia o odszkodowanie powinno być uzyskanie wyniku, który zarówno pracownik jak i pracodawca mogą zaakceptować.

Dużą firma zawsze wygra

Istnieje rozpowszechnione przekonanie, że duże firmy mają prawników w kieszeni i zawsze wygrają sprawę o odszkodowanie. W rzeczywistości, nawet największe firmy w Wielkiej Brytanii zawierają ugody w sprawach o odszkodowanie i są traktowane przez sądy w taki sam sposób jak lokalny sklep spożywczy lub mechanik samochodowy. Anglia i Walia mają najbardziej szczegółowe i wszechstronne prawo na świecie, obejmujące różne okoliczności. Nie ma znaczenia czy pracodawca znajduje się na liście FTSE 100, czy jest to lokalny samorząd czy też właściciel małego przedsiębiorstwa. Prawo zapewnia wszystkim taka sama ochronę.

Odszkodowanie za doznane urazy ciała podlega opodatkowniu, więc nie warto zaczynać

Jest to kolejny mit. Często słyszymy, że odszkodowanie za doznane urazy ciała podlega opodatkowaniu. Nie jest to prawda. Odszkodowanie jest wolne od podatku.

Porozmawiaj z adwokatem

Niestety szeroko rozpowszechnione mity na temat odszkodowac zniechęcają ludzi do wykonania pierwszego kroku, czy byłaby to rozmowa telefoniczna czy też krótki email z pytaniem. Adwokaci specjalizujący się w sprawach o odszkodowania za doznane urazy ciała będą w stanie udzielić porady jakie kolejne kroki można podjąć. Jest ważne, aby wszystkie mity zostały zignorowane, aby osoby które są uprawnione do uzyskania odszkodowania nie zostały pozbawione tej szansy.

Oferujemy bezpłatną, obiektywna poradę na temat roszczeń o odszkodowania za doznane urazy ciała. Skontaktuj się z nami dzisiaj i uzyskaj poradę.

GDPR

What is GDPR? How to Comply With the New Law

The new General Data Protection Regulation rules have just come into force and are designed to ensure organisations obtain data about individuals fairly. The new data protection rules have resulted in scores of e-mails finding their way into our inboxes and require “genuine consent” which is why so many people on mailing lists are being asked to opt-in to receive further digital communications. Businesses who fail to comply with the new legislation may be met with substantial fines should data fall into the wrong hands.

Greater accountability

The new rules were first proposed in 2012 and replace the 1995 Data Protection Directive. The rules have been created to make organisations more accountable with regards to how personal data is collected and processed. Data breaches must be reported within 72 hours. Article 8 of the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union stets that people have a fundamental right when it comes to personal data protection. Fines of up to 4% of annual global turnover or $20 million could be handed to those that fail to comply with GDPR. Individuals whose rights are breached will be entitled to compensation. Organisations must now respond to requests to obtain information held about individuals within just one month. Individuals now have a “right to be forgotten”, which means personal data can be destroyed if it is no longer needed or was processed illegally. Individuals can withdraw the consent given to process their data at any point. Organisations are no longer permitted to charge for data requests, though it is no longer necessary to register with the Data Protection Commission.

How to avoid penalties

Should the Data Protection Commission decide to assess how your organisation processes data, you must be able to show how you are complying with the legislation. Data controllers are being urged to review and enhance their processes for risk management and review their privacy notices. The language used in privacy policies must be straightforward, and policies must be easy to locate on your site. Visitors to your site have a right to know whether you share data with third parties and why it is shared. Many organisations have taken the step of recruiting data protection officers to avoid unwittingly breaking GDPR rules. Companies are being advised to carry out data protection and privacy impact assessments and to prioritise individual’s privacy at the start of each of their projects and products.

Benefits of GDPR for individuals

Individuals can also ask for their personal information to be corrected should it be inaccurate or incomplete. Another benefit of GDPR for individuals is that organisations are now working harder to improve customer satisfaction regarding how they process personal data. You may start to receive far fewer spam emails and unsolicited phone calls and find that privacy notices are much more transparent than they were previously.

Contact Mark Reynolds

At Mark Reynolds Solicitors, we are able to provide specialist legal advice and representation in various fields. If you need any further advice about GDPR, call now on 0800 002 9577.

What Counts As Medical Negligence?

Not a day goes by without signs of stress in the UK’s medical services. In 2018, the term ‘NHS crisis’ is now being described as a ‘year-round crisis’ by The Guardian. Medical services in the UK are always criticised in the media for being underfunded, understaffed, and overwhelmed. In what is supposed to be a smooth-running, beneficial service for all UK citizens, these factors combine to cause accidents and problems that are paid for by you, the patient. Whether you receive medical treatment via the NHS or privately, you should not have to pay for mistakes and damages to you, especially when they were not your fault. If people make mistakes during your treatment, filing a medical negligence claim could be the answer to receiving fair compensation for the harm caused to you.

 

The purpose of a medical negligence claim is to get compensation for a personal injury or any suffering you experienced due to the negligence of a medical organisation or an individual. Medical organisations and professionals have a duty of care to you during your treatment. In most cases, medical professionals are honest and want to help you receive the best treatment, but accidents do happen. Sometimes, these aren’t mistakes that you can brush off and put down to innocent human error. Medical professionals have the power to change someone’s life forever in a matter of minutes. Most of the time this is for the better. The power of modern medicine is astonishing. But sometimes these mistakes can change someone’s life for the worse, leaving them with a reduced quality of life or acute mental and physical pain.

 

Medical negligence includes any treatment or care that was substandard. This is not measured by what you think your level of care should have been. Rather, it is a more objective measure of the care you could have reasonably expected. This takes into account the circumstances surrounding your treatment and how severe your medical condition was at the time of the incident — creating a fair base for any claims made. If you experienced anything below a standard of care that is within the law and found reasonable, you could be entitled to claim compensation. This is where the solicitors come in.

 

Law professionals can help you determine whether you experienced medical negligence and whether you have a case. There are a few things to be aware of if you want to make a medical negligence claim. The first is timescale. There are strict time limits when making a medical negligence claim. It must be made within three years of the accident or negligent act, or the date that you first became aware of the defendant. The timescale may be extended if the injury you received from negligence was significant. These rules stand unless the claimant is granted an exception to put the case forward by the court — but this is rare.

 

Mark Reynolds Solicitors have experience in dealing with medical negligence claims and will help you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact one of our solicitors today on 0800 002 9577. Our solicitors have undertaken the highest standard of training in medical negligence claims, and they will be happy to review your case.

medical appointment doctor healthcare

writing a will

What Can and Can’t Your Lasting Power of Attorney Do?

When assigning a lasting power of attorney, it’s important that both you and your representative are clear on what decisions they can and cannot make on your behalf.

More people than ever are now opting to appoint a trusted person as their power of attorney, to protect their finances and/or health should they lose the mental capacity to make important decisions themselves (or need help doing so) in the future.

A lasting power of attorney is usually appointed whilst a person is still able to make their own decisions as a precaution for the future.

Many people choose to appoint a power of attorney because it gives them peace of mind that someone that they trust will be taking care of their affairs should they lose the ability to do so themselves.

Different types of lasting power of attorney

It’s important to note that there are different types of lasting power of attorney; those that look after finances and property, and those that take care of your health and welfare.  For many people, these will be one and the same person, but others may wish to assign a different person to each.

Financial and property POA

What can they do?

  • Sell, buy and rent out property
  • Manage bank and building society accounts
  • Pay bills and buy items required
  • Claim benefits, tax credits and pensions
  • Look after your tax affairs
  • Look after your debts
  • Manage legal proceedings

What restrictions are there?

  • Use their position for personal gain
  • Make large financial gifts
  • Pay themselves a fee (unless authorised)
  • Mix your finances with theirs
  • Tax planning (without authority)

Health and welfare POA

What can they do?

  • Make decisions about your daily routine
  • Make decisions about your medical care and sign medical consent forms
  • Decide where you live
  • Make decisions about life sustaining treatment

What can’t they do?

  • Make decisions that restrict your freedom
  • Make decisions if a living will has been made

Your power of attorney’s responsibilities

If you only wish your power of attorney to be able to make decisions about certain things, you should speak to your solicitor and make sure that the details of what your appointed person should and shouldn’t be given authority to deal with are drawn up very carefully.

As a rule of thumb, your power of attorney should always consider what is in your best interests and what you would want if you were making your own decisions.  If It is possible for you to make all or some of a decision by yourself, then it is your lasting power of attorney’s responsibility to make sure that you are able to do so.

Your power of attorney will not be able to start making decisions on your behalf until they have been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.

To find out more about the role of a power of attorney and how to register one, give our experts at Mark Reynolds Solicitors a call on 0800 002 9577.

writing a will

More People Assigning Lasting Power of Attorneys As Life Expectancies Rise

As average life expectancies rise, a record number of people are choosing to assign friends or family members the status of lasting power of attorney.

According to an article in the Independent, almost 750,000 people are now assigning a lasting power of attorney each year. This number has gone up by 180% over the last five years.
Lasting power of attorneys are people trusted by an individual to have the legal authority to make decisions concerning their money and property if they become mentally incapacitated.

What’s causing the rise?

The rise in the number of lasting power of attorneys assigned each year is said to be caused by longer life expectancies.
According to the ONS, the most common cause of death in 2016 was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Because we’re now living longer than ever, we are more likely to live to an age where we may lose the ability to safely look after our finances or make our own major life decisions.
In an aging population, some women from older generations remain inexperienced at looking after their own finances, as they come from an era where this was stereotypically seen to be the husband’s role.
On average women tend to live longer than men, so these women are more frequently choosing to assign a trusted lasting power of attorney to assist with important decisions as they get older.

What happens without a lasting power of attorney?

Having a lasting power of attorney can offer you peace of mind that should you lose the capacity to make your own decisions, your affairs will be in the safe hands of someone you trust.
Assigning a power of attorney can also relieve stress from loved ones during what is already a difficult time.

Without a lasting power of attorney, if a person loses the capacity to control their own affairs, you could find that:
• Someone unsuitable may be given control.
• Bank accounts may be frozen.
• Family members may have to go through a long and costly court process.
• Dependents may be declined money.

When should a last power of attorney be assigned?

The best time to assign a lasting power of attorney is whilst you still have complete capacity to make your own decisions, as a precaution for the future.
If a last power of attorney is assigned whilst you still have the capacity to make your own decisions, you can specify whether you wish for your representative to start helping you straight away, or if you’d prefer them to only begin making decisions in the instance that you no longer have the capacity to do so yourself.
Your lasting power of attorney will need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before they can begin their duties.

For help and advice relating to power of attorney, get in touch with our solicitors here at Mark Reynolds Solicitors by giving us a call on 0800 002 9577.