Reddit Legal Advice: 3 Tips for Evaluating Online Legal Advice

Although it’s possible to find the exact answer to your legal questions on the internet, it’s also possible that someone will attempt to murder you or your unborn child if you reply to an online classified for baby clothes. Business owners should be extremely cautious when using legal advice found online, especially via blogs and Q&A sites like Reddit.

Below are three useful tips for finding legal answers and advice online.

Businesses Are Unique and Require Unique Advice

Every business owner brings something unique to the table, whether they are selling cookie cutters or not. Online legal advice is not the same as asking a mechanic how to replace an engine part in a car. The mechanic will not know what type of car you are working on. Although you may be able do the job, it could cause damage to the engine and other parts.

Unfortunately, unlike the car illustration, you cannot provide the same level of background information as a lawyer to provide appropriate guidance in a sentence. It is not enough information to give a detailed description of the situation. Online legal advice might be coming from someone else in a different state or situation.

It is important to have an attorney on your retainer who you can go to for any legal questions.

You get what your pay for

Don’t be surprised if your lawyer advises you for free.

Many people are tripped up by internet rabble-rousers who provide false or misleading information. You will have a lawyer who will answer your questions with your best interests in mind. Your lawyer will likely be insured to cover you for any malpractice.

One can have too much knowledge

If you don’t understand how the law works, applying what you learn online can lead to liability. While information that you find on official websites might seem to be reliable, the law can be complicated and difficult to understand. Even simple laws may be complicated to understand or have unusual applications.

It is possible to refuse a request for reasonable accommodation from a disabled employee based upon the employer’s hardship. However, this may sound simple if you read some blogs. Even worse, if you make a mistake, you could face a costly disability discrimination suit.

It is a bad idea to use the internet for legal advice. Before acting on it, business owners should make sure they have checked with their lawyer.