By Thomas D. Begley, Jr. Esquire, CELA<\/p>\n
CRISIS AND KINDNESS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n In times of crisis, people often show just how caring humanity can be. Major humanitarian relief efforts respond to large-scale natural and unnatural disasters. Strangers donate time and money to individuals injured in tragic accidents. Often, the first instinct when you learn that someone is hurt is to give money. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the donor, this kind and selfless act can have devastating ramifications for the injured individual and his or her family.<\/p>\n If the injured individual or a family member is receiving means-tested government benefits, such as SSI or Medicaid, any extra income or assets could potentially lead to disqualification for benefits. Further, some people might hold a fundraiser in an effort to assist the injured party without a thorough understanding of the laws regulating them. Most dangerous are those \u201clone rangers\u201d who hold fundraisers or collect money without notifying the family or (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Thomas D. Begley, Jr. Esquire, CELA CRISIS AND KINDNESS In times of crisis, people often show just how caring humanity can be. Major humanitarian relief efforts respond to large-scale natural and unnatural disasters. Strangers donate time and money to…<\/span><\/p>\n