How to prevent a dumpster fire? Don’t let one get started. I’d say about 99% of Americans feel like this right about now:
Regardless of the current state of the economy or your own business affairs, how can you prevent a dumpster fire? The answer: call a lawyer…before it’s too late. Americans have a tendency to call a lawyer only after things get “really bad.” But how bad is really bad? Is it after you think someone (in a personal or business context) has wronged you, or is it after you feel helpless and have no where else to turn? Truth is, personal problems are personal by nature, and therefore subjective to other people’s problems. Person A’s “really bad” might be Person B’s normal Wednesday afternoon.
So why is having a relationship with a lawyer or law firm so important? Simply put, it allows for another set eyes and ears to determine what your “really bad” actually is. Remember when you were young and you had a fight with your brother or sister? Usually Mom or Dad (or Grandma or Grandpa) was the final arbiter of your fierce dispute over Legos. That’s kind of like having a lawyer that you can trust. You went to your Mom or Dad or Grandparents, either because you were required to do so, or because you thought it would be the best way to solve your dispute. And those people know you – inside and out. And, most the time, there was a finality to that fight, and you both woke up to next morning and went to school.
But why do so many people wait until they actually need a lawyer? Why wait until the dumpster is in full flame – why not catch the spark before it ignites? If you see the propane tank leaking next to a cigarette butt, do something about it.
The point: things don’t have to be “really bad” before you contact a lawyer. Find a lawyer that you know and trust and build a relationship with them (we are people, you know). Call them before you think your dumpster is about to catch on fire. Don’t let your ego or your sense of self-reliance get in the way of seeking help when you actually need it. And certainly don’t forget that although it may take time, even the worst dumpster fire can be put out.
