Money Saving Tips: Maximising Your Income
Making ends meet can be quite challenging these days but there really is no need to fret. You can say goodbye to that splitting headache that you always get whenever you budget for groceries, house expenses and all other financial concerns. By doing some simple yet effective techniques, you can stretch the money you’ve got. Stretching Your Grocery Budget If you want to reduce your expenses, better learn the ways of how you can lower the expenses for groceries. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle at Home You should also imbibe these three R’s in your day to day living to be able to save more money. Calculate Before You Spend Once you get your salary or income, spend a few minutes in doing some minor calculations. Determine the amount of savings first before allocating money for expenses. After this, you will have a clearer idea about how much you can really spend. We hope this has helped! Until next week.
Money saving ideas when you’re not receiving your regular income
It’s never going to seem like enough, but people sure work out that life’s pretty great when you’re earning an income, the bills are met, mortgage repayments covered and the grocery bill comes and goes. It’s sometimes easy to be lenient with your purchases when your income is regular. However, it becomes a real life changer when your regular source of income dries up and you’re left scrambling to make ends meet. If you’ve suffered a loss of income due to an accident and you find you need to ‘tighten up the belt’, we suggest you try to minimise your expenses. At Sinnamon Lawyers, we’re here to help you and although every case is different, one thing’s for certain, you need to recuperate and it’s tough when you’re not earning money while you’re getting better. We’ve got handy tips that could save you a few hundred dollars around the home if you’re up for the money saving challenge. Believe it or not, coupons are a great way to save on grocery items. They’re available on the Internet for ease of printing so you just have to find these websites and bookmark them so you can go to them as often as you need to. Some that are currently popular in Queensland include Groupon, Scoopon and Daily Deals. Beware, once you sign up, you’ll receive lots of email communications, promoting their deals and coupons…you could end up ‘spending money to save money’. Turning off the lights and power points when there’s no one in the room or using the appliance. It is a small thing to do but makes a huge impact on your power bill. Save energy too by keeping your thermostat. Nowadays, almost everything has fees. When you withdraw from an ATM that’s not really your bank, you get charged for the transaction. Save yourself the cost of the transaction and just go to your own bank. Buying packaged and prepared foods can cost a fortune. Try buying the pasta, the cheese, the milk and the flour rather than packaged macaroni cheese. Whenever possible, try walking because it’s free and it helps you get into shape. If the distance is too great for walking but still accessible via public transport, use public transport. Sinnamon Lawyers has offices across Queensland. We can come to you if you are struggling with mobility, and can’t get to one of our offices. Call us today toll free on 1800 007 277 to arrange an obligation free appointment or seek our expert advice about your legal position following an accident.
Misunderstood Road Rules: Western Australia Edition
Accidents happen on the road every day. Many of our clients have been injured in accidents that have occurred as a result of another driver disobeying, or misunderstanding, the road rules. By improving your understanding of the road rules, you can help to reduce the number of road accidents. The most commonly misunderstood road rules in Western Australia involve roundabouts, merging, mobile phones, overtaking and more. The Government of Western Australia and the Road Safety Commission shed light on the 12 most asked-about road rules to help you brush up on your knowledge here. Their Drive Safe booklet has everything you need to know about road rules and penalties in Western Australia. Some other common offences include: While some road rules may seem like common sense, you might be surprised by some of the more interesting (or unusual) ones. Did you know it’s illegal to have more than 50kg of potatoes in your vehicle in Western Australia? Help make the roads in Western Australia safer by challenging your skills with this test. You might be surprised by what laws you’ve forgotten since you got your licence.
Merry Christmas! Season’s Greetings! Happy New Year!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our office will close at 5.00pm on Thursday 19 December 2013 and reopen at 8.30am on Monday 6 January 2014.
Misunderstood Road Rules (Queensland edition)
We often encounter circumstances where our client has been injured in an accident caused by another driver’s lack of understanding of the road rules. The Department of Transport and Main Roads has published a Road Rules Refresher pamphlet which clarifies the Top 10 Misunderstood Road Rules. You can download your own copy of the pamphlet HERE We think special attention should be given to the sections on Merging, Roundabouts, Safe Following Distances and U-turns because we frequently observe drivers disobeying these rules. One road rule that we find interesting that you might not come across often is in relation to giving way to horses… Giving way to horses When a person in charge of a horse that appears to be hard to control gives a signal – by raising a hand and pointing to the horse – you must give way. You should drive to the side of the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine. Keep the engine off and the car stopped until there is no reasonable chance that the noise of the engine or movement of your vehicle will further upset the horse. Perhaps it is not as relevant if your daily commute is on the major arterial roads, but certainly, take note if you frequent semi-rural areas. Once you have read the refresher you should test your newly polished knowledge by taking the practice road rules test HERE on the Transport and Main Roads website. The answers may just surprise you, although we expect our wonderful readers may just get every question right!
Misunderstood Road Rules (New South Wales edition)
When was the last time you studied the road rules? Was it when you applied for your licence? A lot of rules may have changed slightly or drastically since then so it is time to refresh your knowledge. The New South Wales government Department of Transport, Roads & Maritime Services have published a pamphlet about the Top 10 misunderstood road rules in NSW. You can download your own copy of this pamphlet HERE. We think that the rules that warrant special attention in that list are Merging, Safe Following distances, Roundabouts and U-Turns as we frequently observe drivers disobeying these rules while out on our roads. One road rule we have singled out is about carrying animals on a motor bike. We thought this would be common sense, however maybe this is a more common occurrence than we thought. Carrying animals on a motor bike Animals are not permitted to be carried on a motor bike between a rider and the handlebars, or in any otherposition that would interfere with the rider’s ability to control the motor bike. Penalty: 3 demerit points (4 in a school zone) and $397 ($496 in a school zone) The Practice Driver Knowledge Test is available online HERE for you to be able to test your refreshed knowledge. How did you do?
Medicare and Private Health Refunds after a Motor Vehicle Accident
If you visit a doctor or specialist for treatment of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle, personal injury or public place accident, Medicare, or your Private Health Insurer may cover all or part of the costs associated with the treatment. However, if you are successful in obtaining a motor vehicle accident compensation settlement, Medicare or your Private Health Insurer will want to recoup any funds they have paid for the treatment of your injuries from the accident. It is important to note that for settlements of less than $5,000.00 there is no refund applicable for Medicare. In the process of a compensation claim, it is necessary to determine what, if any, refund is owing to each party. A Claims History Statement is requested which outlines all visits to doctors, specialists, radiographers etc you have attended since the date of your accident and for which you have used your Medicare card. You will need to identify which visits relate to your accident injuries, and which are unrelated. Sinnamon Lawyers encourages all clients to keep a diary of their visits to doctors and treatment providers from the beginning of the claim. This will ensure that you can easily complete the Claims History Statement when the time comes, and only the relevant services are refunded to Medicare or the Private Health Insurer. Sinnamon Lawyers assists you with this process by requesting the Claims History Statement and sending it to you as required throughout the claim. Once it has been completed, it is submitted to Medicare or the Private Health Insurer and they will issue a Notice of Charge which outlines the refund owing to them. For Medicare, this notice is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. For Private Health Insurers, they request that they are notified when the claim is about to settle so that they can issue an up to date Notice of Charge. If there is no valid Medicare Notice of Charge at the date your claim settles, the Insurer will pay 10% of the total settlement amount to Medicare. Medicare will determine what is owing to them and then refund the balance back to you. If a Claims History Statement is requested from Medicare and it is not returned within the specified timeframe, Medicare will issue a “Deemed” Notice of Charge whereby they consider that all services you have had since the date of your accident are applicable and they will want all charges refunded to them. This deemed notice is then valid for 6 months and accurate notice of charge cannot be obtained until the deemed notice has expired. At the end of your claim, any refunds owing to Medicare are automatically paid by the Insurer prior to settlement funds being paid to Sinnamon Lawyers. For refunds to Private Health Insurers, your solicitor will obtain your authority to pay the refund owing to them from the settlement monies received on your behalf. Understanding what costs may need to be refunded to outside parties when you are successful in a compensation claim can be confusing but we are here to ensure that our clients are fully informed throughout the claim process. If you have any questions regarding your claim, or if you have been involved in an accident and would like to make a claim, please contact our office on 1800 007 277.
Manufacturing health and safety compensation information
When you work in the manufacturing industry, the first thing that you, as a worker, should know is your entitlement to Workers’ Compensation in the event of a work-related accident. Though companies and organisations try their best to keep their workplace as safe as possible, there are times when accidents happen. If you do work in the manufacturing industry, you’ll know that you are often surrounded by heavy machinery, complicated equipment and sometimes, even dangerous and hazardous materials. If you consider the statistics, there were approximately 21,000 injury case claims filed by workers in the manufacturing sector for the period 2009-10. The majority of these serious injury cases involved muscular stress from repetitive movement, being hit by moving objects and falls, trips and slips. There are also fatalities in the manufacturing sector caused by vehicular accidents, being hit by objects and even exposure and/or long-term contact with chemicals or substances. Under the law, a worker is entitled to compensation provided that (1) he is an employee of the company where the accident took place, (2) his medical condition was diagnosed by a qualified doctor and happened during the course of his employment, and (3) the worker has suffered a financial loss (either loss of income or has incurred medical costs). What type of compensation will a worker be entitled to? An injured worker who has filed a claim may receive income replacement while recovering from his injury. His medical treatment may be reimbursed. In the case of a fatality, death benefits will be provided including special provisions for children and funeral costs. There may also be lump sum compensation for permanent impairment. This usually involves a loss of limb, loss of function, disfigurement, reduction in life expectancy and pain and suffering. Sinnamon Lawyers has offices across Queensland. We can come to you if you are struggling with mobility, and can’t get to one of our offices. See our office locations. Call us today toll free on 1800 007 277 to arrange an obligation free appointment or seek our expert advice about your legal position following an accident.
Legal Speak – We Break Down the Jargon
Working with lawyers can be tricky if you don’t understand all the terminology they use. We want you to feel confident when you chat with our legal team, so we’ve compiled an easy-to-read glossary of common terms. Action – An action is a judicial proceeding started by one party against another. One party brings an action against another for a wrong done. An action can also be made for protection of a right or prevention of a wrong. Cause of action – A cause of action is the reason you would file a claim against another party. This will generally be linked back to the legal term this relates to, such as negligence or malpractice. Claim – We use the word claim a lot, but what does it mean? A claim is a demand for money or property. It is an assertion that you are entitled to that money or property. Compensatory damages – These are damages paid to a party to rectify a loss, a detriment or an injury. This provides the party with an amount equivalent to what they lost, and not anything extra. Contract – A contract is an agreement between 2 parties. While contracts can be written or verbal, in order to be enforceable by law, there must be certain elements in place. These elements include an offer, acceptance, intent, consideration (payment), legal capacity of the parties involved, consent and legality of the agreement. If any of those are not fulfilled, a legal contract is not formed. Depose – To testify or give under oath or sworn affidavit. This is often a written statement. Diligence – This is the degree of care or attention that can reasonably be expected from a party. Letter of demand – A letter of demand is a letter sent from one party to another when the first party wishes to claim money they believe is owing to them. The letter typically states the following: Punitive damages – These are damages awarded that exceed compensatory damages. Punitive damages are often awarded in order to punish the party in the wrong. Tort – A tort is a civil wrong. It results in a party suffering loss or harm, and that party then has grounds to take legal action. The area of law that surrounds this is known as tort law. Tribunal – A tribunal is an assembly of people with special knowledge about a subject. These people are brought together to resolve a dispute. It is usually both less formal and faster than a judge and jury trial. If there is anything in here you would like further clarification on, or if you would like us to add more definitions to the list, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team of legal experts.
Injured at Work? The Next Steps for a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Sustaining a workplace injury can be stressful and costly. It can also affect your life in many ways over both the short term and the long term. So what should you do when you have been injured at work? We’ve outlined some of the important steps and things to keep in mind as you try to move forward from a workplace accident. These steps include: Record the incident with your employer You must report an accident in the workplace to your employer as soon as possible after it occurs. Your employer should log the details of your accident into their relevant system as soon as they can. In most cases, reporting your accident to your employer in a timely manner is essential if you wish to claim compensation. Document everything Keeping records and relevant documentation is an important aspect when you think you may need to claim for a workplace injury. Whether this is medical records, receipts for treatments, copies of your timesheet on the day of the accident, or witness statements, having them on hand is a good idea because it can save you time when you file your claim. Make sure you have a claim Before you start this process though, you should first figure out if you actually have a claim. This is a good time to speak to a legal expert who has experience with workplace injury cases. They will be able to assess your situation and help you understand whether you have grounds to claim Workers’ Compensation or not. As a guide, you may be able to make a claim if you: This is applicable for most types of employment, including part-time and casual workers. If you have been in an accident in your workplace, contact our team today to get personalised advice.
