Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

I received a claim settlement from a company. I won't mention the exact details because there is a non-disclosure section of the form, but basically some property of mine was damaged during some construction (no personal injury) and I've been awarded some money in exchange for signing a release. It's a modest payment of less than $1,000.

The form advises me that I have the right to have it reviewed by an attorney. It's only 3 pages long and seems like a pretty standard form so I don't know if it would be worth the cost of an attorney to review it (I feel like they would probably glance at it for a minute and just tell me it's fine).

But I want to be safe so:

1.) If I were to forgo an attorney and just review it myself, is there any special language, conditions, or things I should be on the look out for that may be suspicious?

2.) Is this a document that SHOULD be reviewed by an attorney and what we be a reasonable charge to look through 3 pages of documents?


Asked on 6/16/15, 12:43 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Gerald Dorfman Dorfman Law Office

It would be nice if there were simple answers to most legal questions, but often there are not. Most likely, the form is releasing all possible responsible parties for any claims you could bring, including even claims you do not know about. So, while it appears to you that an attorney just has to glance at 3 pages, their job is much more comprehensive. They need to get the underlying facts from you, discuss your possible options, and only then deal with the 3 pages of release. In my opinion, assuming uncomplicated facts, so that the consultation and review of the release could take place in 15 minutes or less, a reasonable charge would be $100.

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Answered on 6/16/15, 1:58 pm


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