(BPT) - Many parents might wonder why they would ever need legal assistance themselves, much less for their children. But the truth is, even if you raised the perfect child who never got into a bit of trouble, there's a good chance you might someday have a legal need related to your child.
Just as is often the case for adults, legal needs regarding your children can occur when you least expect them. Courtesy of ARAG, a global provider of legal solutions, here are 10 situations where a legal issue might arise related to your children.
1. A legal document called Medical Treatment Authorization for Minors authorizes medical personnel to treat your child if you're not there and cannot be contacted. It also gives your child's school or daycare the authority to obtain emergency medical treatment. This is a good idea if you are unavailable during the day or travel frequently.
2. If your child is involved in sports and gets a concussion or suffers heat stroke, you may need to consult an attorney if best sport safety practices related to such injuries weren't followed.
3. If your child is bullied, resources to educate yourself on your rights and responsibilities may be helpful as you strive to keep your child safe and take the appropriate action to address the issue. Same goes if your child is accused of bullying.
4. If one of your child's friends gets hurt while he or she is at your house, you may need legal advice regarding liability issues.
5. As your children enter college, they could experience a legal issue such as a dispute with their landlord over a lease or other rental issues. Online resources and documents can help you take the appropriate actions when a lease is signed.
6. Once your child reaches driving age, it's possible he or she could get into an accident and need legal assistance if there's a disagreement with your insurance company or another driver.
7. If you don't see eye to eye with your child's college over a tuition bill or an issue related to academics, you may need legal advice.
8. Online safety is a big issue for children of all ages. Educating your children about Internet safety issues is important, but if your child becomes the victim of cyberbullying, Internet scams or other online crimes, legal guidebooks can help you understand your options and an attorney can help you to take action.
9. If you or your student takes out student loans and then you can't repay them, an attorney or financial resources can help you understand your repayment options.
10. If you have a college savings plan in place and are unsure of how to properly allocate your savings in accordance with tax laws, you may benefit from the help of an attorney or financial counselor.
These are just a few examples of situations where having access to educational resources or an attorney could help. Considering other 'adult' issues that also may require legal assistance, such as modifying your will or settling a dispute with a contractor, a legal plan like those offered by ARAG can really be a benefit.
These types of plans, which are often offered through your employer as part of your benefits package, give you access to educational resources and tools as well as attorneys when you have a legal question or need. To learn more about legal plans and legal benefits, visit www.ARAGgroup.com.
