Legal Issues? For a Possible Project forIndividuals and Families Impacted by Cancer

[mekasan]

Hello everyone,

I need help from the group in order to develop a cancer specific legal project. I am currently a law student, about to graduate, that works at Legal Services Inc, where we provide free legal assistance to clients who meet our financial eligibility guidelines. I want to continue help those need but unable to afford legal assistance when I graduate.

Because I am a law student, I CANNOT offer any legal advice in any way. (Because I am a law student, I am trained to make sure all disclaimers are presented in conspicuous font - i.e. the bold and underlined text)

What I would like to do after I graduate is create a project that provides legal assistance to individuals and families fighting cancer. I need you to help me identify the legal issues that impacted you so I can understand what type of assitance is most needed. I personally know where I felt I needed legal advice:

Of course I can imagine several other legal issues directly or indirectly related to cancer:

1. Employment Discrimination - not being hired, or fired
2. Estate Planning
3. Access to healthcare for those without coverage - pre-existing conditions impact
4. Bankruptcy
5. Family Law Issues - anything related to relationships, marriage, divorce, child support, alimony, cohabitation, same-sex couples, etc...
6. Consumer Fraud... (I personally got ripped off by my wig lady who promised me it would be one price b/c Komen would pick up half and then
sent me a bill for double after I had owned the wig for a month)
7. Life Insurance
8. Public benefits claims - SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, etc
9. Making sure my insurance was covering everything it was suppose to and
not acting in bad faith. (Again something I dealt with)

I know this question is personal and often difficult to discuss with a stranger, but I do not need specific details and it does not have to be your issue. I simple need to get an idea of what types of issues concern us the most as a group.

Of course you can send me a private message if you like.

If you have any questions, I will be glad to tell you more about what I would like to do.

Thank you for your help,
Shannon