COUNSELING KANSAS SINCE 1900

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

• Over 120 Years of Experience
• Wide Range of Practice Areas

• Over 120 Years of Experience
• Wide Range of Practice Areas

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Riling Burkhead & Nitcher Chartered FAQ

Have a legal question? We have the answer. Check out these FAQs and give us a call today for more information!

Auto Accidents

  • Before and After an Accident

    Before an accident happens:


    Make sure you keep in your glove compartment.

    1. Your vehicle registration

    2. Insurance card (make sure it is current)

    3. Small notebook pad and pen

    4. Small first aid kit

    Review your insurance to make sure you have adequate coverage. Please remember that with your insurance policy you have coverage in the event the other driver does not have insurance. If you have $25,000 in insurance and the other driver does not have insurance, then $25,000 is all the insurance coverage you have available to pay your damages. Most people should carry a minimum of $100,000 worth of insurance coverage per person.


    After an Accident Happens.


    1. Always stop if you are involved in an accident, this is your legal obligation. Even if you do not think there was any damage, any time you collide with something, you need to stop your car and exchange information. You may find damage to your vehicle later. If someone is hurt or you are blocking traffic, call 911 otherwise use the non-emergency number to call the police. 

     

    2. When an accident happens your adrenaline will be flowing. Do not say you are all right or have no injuries. Often people do not feel hurt until after the adrenaline rush and most people feel the worst on the second day after the accident. Do not admit to being at fault. You can show concern for the other people in the accident without taking responsibility. 


    3. If you are injured, seek treatment immediately. Your car insurance has a provision for medical payment up to a minimum of $4,500 that can be used to pay your medical bills even if you are at fault for the accident. You paid the premium for this insurance so get treated if you are injured.  


    4. If you are not hurt then check to see if anyone else needs urgent medical care. If you can, try not to move the vehicles unless they are causing a major problem with traffic. If possible, wait for the police before moving anything.


                                               


    5. Avoid posting on social media sites like Facebook  about the accident. These posts could be used against you later.


     


    6. If you are not injured use the pad and pen in your glove compartment to record information. Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who witnessed the accident. The names, phone numbers, and insurance information of all drivers of vehicles involved in the accident. If the police refuse to make an accident report write down the name and phone number of the police officer that came to the scene.


    7. Take photos of the scene. The more the better. If you are injured ask someone else to do that for you.


     


    8. Contact your insurance company and make them aware of the accident.


     


    9. Do not talk to an insurance adjuster for the other side before you talk to an attorney.


     


    10. Contact an attorney to discuss your rights. We offer free consultations in cases involving personal injury.


    Call us at (785) 841-4700 to set up an appointment.

Drug Litigation

  • What is Drug Litigation?

    Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher has more than 100 years of experience working with other attorneys in complex and specialty areas. We act as co-counsel for drug and product liability litigation. Our office works with attorneys who specialize in these areas to recover compensation for injured persons. We work daily with attorneys throughout the United States.


    If you do an internet search, you can find hundreds of attorneys who will deal with drug cases and product liability litigation. The advantage of dealing with a local Kansas attorney is that you will know whom you are dealing with in your case. The attorney we work with may be in another state but he or she is usually an attorney that our office has established a long-term relationship with over the years. You will be trusting our firm with its long service to Kansans to find and deal with an attorney who is highly qualified and will provide the best recovery for you. We will also make sure that the fee agreement is reasonable and the charges are fair. Going through our office will not cost you, the client, additional attorney fees. Our arrangement will not change the standard contingency rate for these types of cases.


    Please feel free to contact us with any of your questions about unsafe drugs and possible product lawsuits. Unsafe drugs are a major area of the law in which litigation is occurring in this country. Having a local attorney to assist you is invaluable, especially since it does not increase the cost to you.

Traffic Tickets (Speeding)

  • Traffic Tickets in Kansas and Missouri

    Were you ticketed for speeding or another traffic offense? Perhaps the officer said that you rolled through that stop sign, or were driving too fast for the road/weather conditions? Just because a law enforcement officer issued you a ticket does not mean you should plead guilty or no contest. An experienced traffic attorney will explain your options and offer an opinion on what action you should take.


    We know that our clients are very busy people and often do not want to waste time coming to our physical office. As a result, we do a significant amount of work with clients completely over the internet or over the phone. Moreover, we try to work it so that you will either not have to go to court or limit your appearance to once. We are not able to do this in every case.


    If a law enforcement officer has issued you a traffic ticket, that does not necessarily mean that you are guilty or have to pay it. At Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher, our attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of our clients. Many people assume that when they receive a ticket, their only option is to simply pay it. An experienced traffic lawyer will tell you that simply accepting your "fate", so to speak, can have a negative impact on your life.


    By paying the ticket and mailing it in, you are pleading guilty or no contest in some courts. This can increase your car insurance rates, affect your license to drive, and in some instances, even your employment. An experienced traffic attorney can often protect your driving record by having the charges amended or diverted; or in some cases, even having the ticket dismissed. If you have a Kansas driver's license, you need to know whether the traffic violation you have been issued is considered "moving violations." A conviction for a moving violation will go on your record and may cause your insurance rates to go up.


    Our traffic attorneys handle tickets in both Kansas and Missouri. We will take the time to explain the legalities of what can often be a complex system. For example, in Kansas, if you get too many tickets within a 12-month period, the Kansas Department of Revenue may suspend your license. In addition, you must notify the Kansas Department of Revenue of your new address within 10 days of moving. Failure to do so may result in a citation if you are pulled over. Unlike Kansas, Missouri uses a point system, and if you get too many points from moving violations, Missouri may suspend your license. You need to know that just because something is a moving violation in Kansas, does not mean that it is one in Missouri, and vice versa. Whether or not it is considered a moving violation for purposes of your driving record depends on what state issued your driver's license.


    When you receive a traffic ticket, you should not mail the fine in and forget it! At Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher, our experienced attorneys will explain what can be done and why you should never pay a ticket without consulting a lawyer. We will inform you of what rights you have, and how we may be able to help you negotiate your ticket to keep it off your driving record. This will help to ensure that your insurance rates do not go up, and that you do not risk losing your license due to too many tickets. Contact us today about your options.

Divorce

  • What is Divorce?

    Kansas law requires that a person be a resident for sixty days before the filing of a divorce Petition. A person can file a Petition for Separate Maintenance without fulfilling the residency requirement. The laws concerning divorce, child custody, and visitation are changing rapidly. The Kansas Legislature has tried to discouraged persons from fighting over who has custody over children. A licensed mediator can often help people going through a divorce come to an agreement without having to go through a court battle over the issues arising out of a divorce. Mediation is a preferred method to solving domestic disputes. You should have an attorney review any mediated agreement before signing it. You can find the name of a qualified mediator by contacting an attorney.


    John Nitcher, Bobbie Lee Riling, and Samara Miller in our firm handle divorce and post divorce cases. Call (785) 841-4700 to set an appointment. We do not offer free consultations.

Probate

  • What is Probate?

    Probate is the process of administering a dead persons’ estate, utilizing the court system. If the deceased person died “testate,” (that is, with a will), the process includes proving the validity of the Will, appointing the dead person’s named executor to administer the estate, and seeing to it that there is an inventorying and gathering of the dead persons’ assets and debts, also that creditors may be paid, and assets distributed to the beneficiaries name in the Will. If the deceased person died without a Will, the process is similar with a court-appointed administrator inventorying and gathering the assets and debts, pay the debts, and distributing the remainder to the heirs at law of the deceased person. These procedures are accomplished with the assistance of an attorney, who should work closely with the executor or administrator.

Trusts

  • What is a Trust?

    A Trust is a fiduciary relationship in which one person (the Grantor) contributes property to another person (the Trustee) to own legal title to property for the benefit of another (Trust Beneficiary). Typically, a Trust is formalized in a lengthy written document prepared by an attorney. A trust may be testamentary (meaning that it comes into existence by virtue of a Will) or it may be a Living Trust. In order to have an effective trust, it must not only be reduced to writing, it must also have property transferred into it. This is a particularly detailed procedure, which will vary given the kind of assets to be transferred into the Trust, and should be overseen by an attorney.

  • What is Living Trust?

    A Living Trust is a trust that is created and becomes operative during the lifetime of the Grantor. This is distinguished from a testamentary trust which only becomes operative by virtue of a Will, upon the death of the Testator (willmaker).


Wills

  • What is a Will?

    A Will is a legal document declaring how the “Testator” (the will maker) wishes his or her assets to be distributed at death, and whom the Testator wishes to have handle his affairs after he has died. Ordinarily, a Will is revocable and amendable and may be changed at any time prior to death (assuming the testator has mental capacity). This right to change the Will may be restricted or even eliminated through prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, contracts, or by joint mutual contractual wills. A Will has no legal effect until death and being admitted to Court through Probate.

Power of Attorney

  • What is Durable Power of Attorney?

    A Durable Power of Attorney is a legal document where an individual (the Principal) authorizes another person (the Power Holder or Attorney-in-fact) to handle all the matters described in the document. Often this will include handling residential care and financial matters for the Principal. A Durable Power of Attorney may be effective upon the day it is signed or may become effective only after it is certified that the Principal has become incapacitated. Unlike an ordinary power of attorney, a durable power of attorney is not invalidated by the Principal’s later incapacity. A power of attorney should be prepared by an attorney and the signature of the Principal must be authenticated (that is, notarized).


  • What is a Health Care Power of Attorney?

    A Health Care Power of Attorney is very similar to a Durable Power of Attorney except that it is to authorize the Power Holder or Attorney-in-fact to make medical decisions for the Principal. A Heath Care Power of Attorney may also designate the Principal’s wishes regarding the use of life-prolonging medical procedures. A Health Care Power of Attorney is typically only effective upon the Principal’s incapacity.


LegalShield Questions

  • Questions on LegalShield?

    For information on LegalShield and how to use your LegalShield benefits download the following LegalShield PDF. For questions, call Riling Burkhead & Nitcher Chartered at (785) 841-4700.

Contact Us Today!

The use of the Internet or this form as a means of contacting this firm or any individual attorney of this firm will not establish an attorney-client relationship, thus do not use this form to submit confidential or time-sensitive information. Whether you are a new or existing client of the firm.


Riling Burkhead and Nitcher Cht. cannot represent you on any new matter until we have made a determination that there is no conflict of interest and that we are willing and otherwise able to accept a new engagement. Unless and until Riling, Burkhead and Nitcher Cht. has informed you we are willing and able to accept your new matter, do not send to us any information or documents you consider private or confidential.

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