These are unprecedented times that are scary and difficult for all of us. But with kindness, compassion, and patience, we’ll get through it together.
Through the Coronavirus outbreak we are here, working for you. We are available to answer your questions and concerns throughout this crisis. While physically away from the office, we are diligently working remotely to move your case forward. Our highest priority throughout this time remains obtaining positive outcomes for your case and being here for you in your time of need.
Please know that we are using the most current technologies that enable us to remain open and working for you during this time, even when following government directives to work from and respect social distancing. Since 2013, we have had everything on the office computer server so we can securely access all client files through our secure, confidential VPN (virtual private network). My son-in-law has a master’s degree in cybersecurity so I have gotten is expert input on the security measures we need for client fines. Thus, we can work from home almost as well when physically in the office. One person goes in each day to sort mail, scan mail and send out time sensitive paperwork by FedEx.
Whether you have questions about your current case, or need help with a new case for a catastrophic injury or wrongful death, rest assured that we are prepared to be your passionate advocate in the context of this difficult time.
Normal operations of the courts in Georgia are mostly suspended until May 13th, by the Judicial Emergency order of the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. See Order Extending Declaration of Statewide Judicial Emergency.
Fortunately, we can electronically file and serve documents in trial courts by electronic court filing. When I was first elected to State Bar office in 2008, I began leading the push for civil e-filing in Georgia courts. It took longer and was messier in the creation than we hoped, but now we do have workable electronic court filing in civil cases in all Superior Courts and State Courts in Georgia.
Within the past week we have filed in courts three new lawsuits for clients and sent the papers out for service of process on defendants. There may be somewhat more difficulty that usual in getting lawsuit papers served on defendants, but we shall see.
We continue to remain available to you for telephone and video conferencing, email communications, and e-signings of important documents. We strive to make your life as convenient as possible.
Yes, we are open. While not in the physical office, we are communicating via phone, e-mail and videoconferencing. If your call our office at 404-253-7862, our remote receptionist will patch you through or pass a message for us to call you back.
Through technologies such Zoom, Facetime, Skype, DocuSign, WhatsApp, etc., we are able to work remotely and conduct meetings that keep us productive.
We offer a wide array of video conferencing, using FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, and Facebook Messenger Video, other modalities.
Facetime is most readily accessible if you have an iPhone. Moving forward, we will help you set up Zoom, which is our preferred videoconferening technology. Call our office 404-253-7862 to speak with one of our staff, and if your case is a a fit for our practice, contact us to schedule a video conference.
Yes, we certainly are. We offer a free consultation on cases of catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death in Georgia. On meritorious cases outside our primary areas of focus, we usually can make an appropriate referral.
We do NOT handle criminal cases, family law, traffic tickets, driver’s license suspensions, employment disputes, or small claims. For those, you may contact the Atlanta Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, (404) 521-0777.
Our team remains at your disposal to provide real time answers and updates on your current case. Call or e-mail us to schedule a phone or videoconference appointment.
All court appearances in state and federal courts in Georgia are currently suspended at least through May 13th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is uncertain when things will be re-scheduled. When courts resume work, criminal jury trials will have priority over civil trials, so we in the civil litigation process will need to be creative and flexible to fairly resolve cases. If you are due to appear at any court function, please contact our office for further details.
As of now, all court deadlines for discovery are suspended. We are working with court stenographer firms, opposing counsel and clients to coordinate scheduling of depositions through vidoeconferencing technologies.
Mediations and arbitrations are being conducted remotely, by telephone or videoconferencing. This is a moving target. Preliminary reports from around the country indicate that telephone mediations do not work well, partly because claims adjusters are less engaged that when meeting people face to face.
However, mediators using Zoom technology report that this works as well, or sometimes better, than mediating face to face. This means when we schedule mediations in clients’ cases, it will be done by Zoom videoconferencing. We will work with you Zoom setup and training so that you can become comfortable with it before your mediation.
Many clients in this crisis are out of work due to massive closures and layoffs. Congress has passed legislation providing increased unemployment compensation. See the Georgia Department of Labor directions on how to apply online for COVID-19 unemployment compensation.
Ken Shigley
3/31/2020