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  ^ Top   #21  
Old 06.20.2007
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  ^ Top   #22  
Old 06.20.2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Varmit View Post
Question is, how do I sift through them all when there's no standard for judging their effectiveness? There's not a whole forum like this devoted purely to "Pre-paid legal for professional drivers" is there?

I've read all the threads and posts on our forums here. So can anyone point me in some good directions real quick. I gotta get in a rental car Saturday morning.
One is as good as the next. Absolutely no difference! The traffic ticket clinic process is sophomoric. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to push traffic citations through a pre-set system. Take the cheapest one you can get. Generally, the more expensive pre-paids cover more than traffic citations. If your only looking for traffic representation, go with the cheapest.

What do you call a lawyer who graduates dead last in his class? "A Lawyer".
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  ^ Top   #23  
Old 06.21.2007
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Cheap is Less Coverage

As I posted on my earlier post there are differences from one pre paid legal plan to the next. Cheap means less coverage period. The pre paid legal plan that I selected might be more than $2 per month but it's less than a daily cup of coffee and includes a lot more coverage than the discounted plan. Ours include the usual driving tickets but also tragic accident representation at no additional cost for charges such as manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, vehicular homicide, negligent homicide.

It also it includes representation and fine reduction negotiation for logbook, overweight, overlenght, hazmat violations, all performed in the original jurisdiction at no charge. Also, a good prepaid legal plan has retainers with major law firms, not individual attorneys that just got their license and has less experience in a court than you or me.

Other benefits: 2.5 hours of legal help if the driver is denied a driver's license, has been cancelled, suspended or revoked. Assistance for the driver and the spouse to collect up to $2000 or less for damage as a result of driving, riding in, or being struck by any motor vehicle or boat.

All other legal work will be provided at a 25% discount for drug and alcohol related cases, driving without a license, no seat belt, parking tickets, bypassing scales, police scanner, driving on suspended driver's license, improper/expired registration or tag. Retainers are covered.


I am not saying the plan we selected is the best in the country but they are the pioneers in the pre paid legal industry being in business since 1972 and I have seen how they have helped our clients save money and headaches.

I live in South Florida and would not dream of not having my home covered with a lousy windstorm insurance even if I save a few dollars a month. A little wind our way would put us in big trouble and it would be really sad to see our hard earned pennies that we put away spent on repairs that a better insurance would have otherwise covered.
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  ^ Top   #24  
Old 08.02.2007
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My Opinion

I agree with Safety Babe, I am sure I know which Prepaid legal she is talking about, since she mentioned they have been around since 1972. I know about this company - and they are legit and worth it. Some others, may not be so. There is a difference between the companies.

From our experience, I think it is a very legit and useful item. Just like your car insurance, home owners insurance, fire insurance, health, etc. You prepay for it, and hope you never need it, but when you do... you are glad you have it. Since it's a business expense for the drivers.. it would also be tax deductible.

We as a family have a Family Legal Plan as well as Identity Theft protection from the company we chose to go with. (We as well chose to go with the leaders in the industry who have been in business for over 35 years) and we know that they only work with the top Attorney firms, Grade A & B, I believe. But, they have helped us out a lot. We don't currently have their CDL plan for drivers, but my husband doesn't drive OTR now. He is currently looking to go back out OTR and when he does... we WILL have coverage.

They have helped us with reviewing a lease agreement for a truck company we were looking to do their lease purchase program. They have helped us with traffic tickets and help keep it from going on our record as to keep the points off our license and insurance from going up. No, they don't claim they will get you out of them or be able to work miracles on them all, but they do work! We have also just been able to call and have questions answered with our phone consultations and have letters written on our behalf on certain matters that normally if I personally wrote a letter, would have not even paid any attention to.

We have learned, that although some things can be done on your own, there is no gurantee.. For example. My hubby got a ticket for rolling through a stop sign. Went to court and represented himself (without an attorney or legal help) and was told by the judge to pay the ticket, and if he did, and they didn't hear from him in 90 days... they wouldn't put the ticket on his record... well, guess what... we got a copy of his MVR (now 9 months later) and it's on there. We are SOL because there is nothing to prove it. If we had our attorney go for us, at least we would have the documentation and witness needed to dispute it!

Sorry so long.. just wanted to give the opinion from someone who has had actual experience with this type of company and stand up for them since there are so many negative comments.

~Kimberly~
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  ^ Top   #25  
Old 08.02.2007
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i think it's a waste of money.stay out of trouble by doing what your sopposed to do and do it right and you have nothing to worry about.
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  ^ Top   #26  
Old 08.02.2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peeping_Tom View Post
i think it's a waste of money.stay out of trouble by doing what your sopposed to do and do it right and you have nothing to worry about.
Sometimes you can do everything right and still get into trouble. I speak from experience. I was on the receiving end of a frivolous lawsuit from my annoying neighbor. Sure, I won in the end, but it took two years of my life and $35,000! I don't see how we are ever going to crawl out of our financial hole that this guy created.
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  ^ Top   #27  
Old 08.02.2007
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Originally Posted by MGASSEL View Post
I was wondering if any of you more experinced drivers use the Pre Paid Legal Service?

What is the good and bad of this service?

I was quoted aprox 35.00 per month weather or not it is used.

I was sold on it but have not signed up for it yet because I want to know your oppinions and if you use it or not etc.

The ideal that I could have a lawyer in every state that would fight tickets etc. would be good because no down time going to court in most cases and not having to park the truck and hop a plane to get to court on that certian day.
PURCHASE IT BOTTOMLINE; I've had it personally since 1996 I paid $25.00 back then and it's still $25.00 for me, your rate never increases. My friend pays $15.00 a month from early 90's It has saved me THOUSANDS of dollars in driving fines with my teenage son years ago. Most of the time the judge just dropped it. Plus they'll even look over contracts and I have used them several times.
IF YOU A NEWBIE; especially if you went through driving school and quit or get fired and they come after you with a civil suit well it covers pre-trial and trial time also. I haven't even looked into it for Professional Drivers but from a personal standpoint it's well worth it. I think I have built up to hundreds and hundreds of hours of legal defense each year because it goes up each year.

Wow I almost sound like a commerical, but I'm not even a spokesman just a happy customer. I think I'll check into the commercial drivers part today myself.
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  ^ Top   #28  
Old 08.02.2007
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Well, unfortunately we are all human and do make mistakes and errors sometimes and shouldn't always be punished - especially if the cop is just trying to fill his quota or is having a bad day and decides to use his/her authority over us. Now I agree.. if you are doing it purposefully and/or in great quantity, you should pay for it in some way.

Unfortunately we live in an unfair world and a litigious society.. and I'd rather be protected than not. I thought the same way as everyone else at first when I first heard about the prepaid services, but I have learned to not make decisions (about most things in life.. not just this) when I know nothing about it other than what one or two people have said. If this was the case, I could say all trucking companies are bad because there are so many people who say negative things about xxx company.. but in reality we know there are going to be good and bad experienced with each company and it's our due diligence to do our part to hear the good and bad and be educated properly so we can make an informed and educated decision.

Now I have learned to check things out so that I can make an educated and informed decision. Sadly, a lot of people just think.. well I don't need that.. or that's a scam.. and don't really know anything about it because they won't take the time to research or be educated on it. JMO.
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  ^ Top   #29  
Old 08.02.2007
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PLUS the personal plan comes with TAX Attorney Coverage and boy does this help in an Audit when you walk in with a Tax Attorney, it really changes the playing field to your advantage with the auditor. Plus if the person on the earlier post would have had Pre Paid Legal it would have covered the frivolous lawsuit probably without a dime out of pocket except their monthly member rate.
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  ^ Top   #30  
Old 08.02.2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leannamarie View Post
Sometimes you can do everything right and still get into trouble. I speak from experience. I was on the receiving end of a frivolous lawsuit from my annoying neighbor. Sure, I won in the end, but it took two years of my life and $35,000! I don't see how we are ever going to crawl out of our financial hole that this guy created.
ouch, that's some serious moola. i agree but we can always try.
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