Injuries can have long-lasting and detrimental effects on a person’s physical and mental health. No matter how you get injured, whether in a car accident, at work, through a slip and fall, or from a faulty product, you must know and understand your legal rights and work with the right experts who will help you go through this hardship as easily as possible. So, let’s check out some of the best advice an experienced lawyer can give us for the moments when we have to deal with injuries and all the complexities that follow.
What is personal injury law?
This is the term you will hear a lot once you decide to fight for your rights and justice. Actually, personal injury law is the body of legal issues that result from an accident where a person sustains significant injuries that harm their daily lives. The harmed party, or plaintiff, seeks the right amount of compensation from the one who caused the accident, or defendant. This compensation usually covers all losses that a person has endured, both monetary and non-monetary. Also, they work with many specialists, including lawyers, police officers, medical experts, and forensic specialists, to prove the other person’s liability and how this accident ruined their life.
What to do after an accident?
Seek medical help
Remember that your well-being must come first all the time. See a doctor immediately, even if you think that your injuries are not a big deal. Your symptoms can worsen over time if you ignore them. Also, medical records will be valuable pieces of evidence during your claim process against the responsible person.
Report the accident
When an accident happens and you get injured, you should inform the relevant authorities as soon as you can. You can go to your boss, manager, or the police, depending on where the accident happened. Official reports will also be important evidence for your claim, specifying even the smallest details of what happened and how serious your injuries were.
Hire a lawyer
A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer is your best friend during the claims process. The law can be quite complex, including aspects like statutes of limitations, liability, and other procedures. Thankfully, a skilled injury lawyer understands these details and will guide you all the way through the process. They will also negotiate with insurance companies to get you fair compensation, and if your case ends up in court, they will fight forcefully to protect your rights and the justice you deserve.
Document everything
Try to get as much proof as you can. Images and videos of the accident site will tell the best story and show the details behind the case. Also, you should get the contact information of anyone involved and anyone who may have seen the accident, as their testimonies will be of great help to you in court.
Don’t make any statements
When insurance companies ask you some questions or demand you sign any paperwork, never do it without your legal representative. These early agreements can lead to much-reduced compensation numbers, leaving you deprived of what you actually deserve. Also, everything you say in a state of shock can be used against you, so stay calm and don’t talk to anyone until your lawyer arrives.
Filing a claim
Your attorney will work hard to investigate all the conditions that led to the accident. They will gather the necessary evidence, interview witnesses, and check the medical records, which can help them construct a solid case. Then, they will send demand letters, which are formal letters where they will explain your injuries and losses thoroughly and send them to insurance companies, hoping they will come to a satisfactory agreement.
Then comes the negotiation. This is the part where your attorney will work with the liable party and their insurance company to try to resolve the case out of court. Of course, they will try their best to get you a fair amount of compensation that will cover all of your losses. If, for any reason, they cannot reach this agreement, then the next step is the trial. With your lawyer by your side, you will get your case to court, and the judge or jury will decide about the outcome of the whole process.
Compensation
Compensation is the amount of money you will get from the liable party and their insurance company after suffering major injuries. The main goal of this compensation is to mitigate the negative consequences of the accident and cover all of your losses. First of all, there is compensation for monetary damages, including payment for medical treatment, rehabilitation costs, property damage, and any lost wages because you are not able to work for some time because of your injuries.
Non-monetary damages focus on your pain and suffering, including mental anguish, anxiety, PTSD, damage to family relationships, loss of life quality and satisfaction, and others. Finally, there are punitive damages that the defendant gets if their actions were very extreme and reckless, and these damages have the goal of punishing such behavior and discouraging the person from repeating it in the future.
Statute of limitations
The statute of limitations is a legal period when you must file a claim against the responsible person if you want to have a successful legal case. For personal injury cases, this limitation is usually three years from the date of the accident, but it varies from state to state, so you must consult your lawyer to be on the safe side. This statute guarantees that the evidence and witness testimonies remain fresh, so no one is treated poorly and unfairly. If you miss this time, you will lose the right to claim compensation, so work closely with your lawyer to be aware of all important deadlines that are relevant to your case.
Dealing with an injury is no fun at all, and there are so many issues coming out of this hardship. However, by following the lawyer’s advice given here, you can stay safe and be sure you are trying your best to protect your rights and get the justice you need.