Davis & Neal represents clients in general civil matters with particular emphasis in the following areas of law:   

Elderlaw:  Older individuals have concerns particular to their circumstances, such as preparing a long overdue will, preparing an advance directive to name someone to handle financial and health care decisions should the individual be unable to direct these matters, estate distribution concerns, long-term care concerns, maximizing income, pensions, public benefits, Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid in the nursing home and prepaying for funeral arrangements.  Often times adult children are struggling with making arrangements for their parents.  Our firm offers a full range of services to meet these needs, and in some areas of the state and in some areas of need, services are at no charge if those services are offered through  contracts we have with area agencies on aging.  See Partnering With Area Agencies on Aging first to see if we can provide you with what you need at no charge.

Medicaid and General Estate Planning:  Planning for institutionalization is a particularly confusing task for most persons, and correct advice is hard to find.  Shuffled from place to place, or, more unfortunately, left to their own devices, many people give up finding competent advice on how to preserve their estates and either do their own planning or accept the fact that they will be forced to lose their entire life savings in order to obtain the care they will need in later life.  In this area we are the "thank goodness I found you" or "I wish I had found you earlier" law firm.  We understand Medicaid regulations and can help you develop an effective and legal plan to preserve your estate.

Nursing Home Liability:   While we represent plaintiffs in other personal injury claims, we are particularly qualified to represent residents of long-term care who have been injured in nursing homes or relatives of residents who were killed as a result of poor care received in nursing homes.  Regulation of the long-term care industry is not providing the protection needed by these most vulnerable citizens.  Damages can be obtained for these individuals and their family members and an inadequate care system punished for its failure to properly act. 

Social Security Disability:  We represent persons who are permanently and totally disabled at all levels of the appeal process, from administrative hearings before administrative law judges through federal court. This is an important distinction because while many law firms handle SSD claims, not all have the capability to represent the claimant through the entire appeals process. As such, many claimants denied benefits give up after the administrative hearing. Social Security Disability is an area of law that requires an understanding of the particular disability involved in a claim and the ability to develop the evidence in such a way as to demonstrate how that disability affects a particular person's ability to compete in the work world.

Workers' Compensation: People hurt on the job are in a particularly baffling and complex system with all the cards stacked against them. A complete understanding of that system and how to effectively maneuver through it to obtain temporary benefits, medical care and the maximum possible recovery is critical for the worker who suffers a permanent injury. It is likewise important to understand how the workers' compensation system coordinates with the Social Security Disability system and to coordinate and maximize the benefits that can be obtained from both sources.

Probate: We offer a full range of probate service to include probate of wills, administration of estates, guardianships and conservatorships, preparation of wills and advance directives, and deeds.