The human civilization has taken great leaps in terms of legal rights and awareness. Even though human rights have their roots in ancient religions and primal constitutions, their modern foundations can be traced to the renaissance era. Different philosophies and schools of thought emerged in the 17th and 18th century that placed an unprecedented emphasis on human rights. But it seems that no matter how progressive the world becomes, there is always a huge margin of error when it comes to legal and human rights.
These problems are either systematic in certain developing countries and cultures or bureaucratic and random in more civilized countries, with differences in respect to the rule of law. To help you understand the true importance of such knowledge, we’ve created a brief overview of the points that make it vital to your well-being.
Protection in the Workplace
When you know your employee rights, you’ll be able to stand up for any negligence or misbehavior at your workplace by your employer. You won’t need to risk your life or spend long hours just because your employer puts pressure on you. Employees that know their rights are more efficient and comfortable because they won’t constantly feel under stress by their employer or work environment. Knowing that your environment is supposed to be completely safe, prepared to handle any emergencies, and convenient can put your mind at ease. You also won’t need to worry about getting fired for no reason because that’s illegal, and you’ll have the power to stop it.
Understand Legal Differences between States
If you’ve been spending a long time in your state, you are probably not that familiar with the various legal differences between other states. While some federal laws and rights that are uniform across all states, the majority of civil and criminal laws usually vary from one state to another. Insurance companies, for example, have different regulations when it comes to dealing with claims. As mentioned on kentuckycourage.com, the statute of limitations in Kentucky on most personal injury cases is one year, and two for motor vehicle accidents. On the other hand, the statute of limitations is 6 years in Maine. Knowing your rights in the states you’re in is going to help you in the long run.
Dealing with the Police
A lot of people are taken by surprise when they are stopped by the police for any reason. It can be an exhilarating experience because you probably don’t have a lot of experience in dealing with the police and the legalities involved. Even though a lot of policemen are helpful and might not use the lack of knowledge about rights to your disadvantage, some may utilize it for any reason. In many cases, you don’t have to be taken by police if you are not officially arrested, consent to be searched, talk to officers, or talk without your lawyer. Knowing your rights as an immigrant is also very helpful in making sure that you don’t end up on the wrong side of the law.
Resolve Conflicts Legally
Our personal lives are filled with conflicts with other people and entities but taking the matters into your own hands can only make your position much worse. Before having a clash with someone, you should always resort to law to make sure you are in the safest and most secure position. Knowing your rights will help you understand your position in the eyes of the law. You’d be surprised by the number of things the law can help you out with.
Know Your Medical Rights
Everyone has the right to proper medical care according to their state of health and without discrimination based on gender, beliefs, or race should be made. Knowing your rights will help you ensure that you’re getting the medical care you need at any point. You’ll be aware that you have the right to informed consent, which means getting an explanation of your problem and its diagnosis in a clear and informative manner by medical professionals. You can practice the right to privacy and confidentiality, in addition to your right to information. You should have access to view your medical records whenever you need them.
Consumer Protection
As a consumer, you have a lot of rights when it comes to the products and services you are legally allowed to purchase. Since the purchase from a provider of service or products means that you’re getting in a legal agreement with them, there are a lot of conditions that providers have to meet in the eyes of the law. You get to exercise your rights to avoid getting faulty products or services and replace them if such a problem happens. You’ll get to refund any purchased items if they are not within the standards that are legally determined state or nation-wide. Knowing your consumer rights will help you be aware of the time limits on refunds and returns as well.
Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury can be an umbrella term that includes many forms of injury that can happen in a myriad of scenarios, such as work-related injuries, vehicle accidents, and many others. When you are familiar with your rights, you’ll be able to tackle personal injuries on the legal front because you’ll know what’s taken into consideration when it comes to defining who is at fault. A lot of insurance companies take advantage of some people’s ignorance of their own rights to provide lower settlements.
Securing a Visa or Citizenship
If you’re an immigrant trying to secure a visa or citizenship, it’s absolutely important to know what’s within your legal rights to avoid causing any delays or problems with your documents procession. Immigrants may not always have the same legal rights when it comes to opening up businesses or gaining access to social security benefits, which is important to know if you have long-term plans.
Understanding your rights should be one of your top priorities if you want to know where you stand when dealing with legal issues and insurance claims. It’s recommended to consult a lawyer on matters that are urgent to avoid finding yourself in a tough legal pinch. As a citizen, it’s always in your favor to know what exactly your rights are because a bad situation can become much worse if you’re unaware of your rights.
