Personal Injury Claim: What You Should Know
If you've been injured in a car accident, suffered dog bite or slip and fall injuries, or been harmed by a defective drug or product, or in some other way harmed by someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation in an injury settlement for your personal injury, and for associated losses like time off from work, property damage, and even pain and suffering.
If you think that another party may be responsible for your personal injury, consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Injury lawyers can help you determine whether or not you should pursue your personal injury claim.
To make that determination, you and your personal injury attorney will have to answer three basic questions:
Injury Claim Information
You can only pursue a personal injury claim if:
- You and your personal injury lawyer can identify a third party who is responsible for your injury; and
- Your personal injury attorney believes he can prove that the third party was responsible.
Sometimes more than one party is liable. In that case:
- Your personal injury attorney may need to include multiple defendants in your claim, or even (for instance, where workers' compensation benefits are involved) file two or more separate claims; or
- If you are one of the parties responsible, you may be barred from recovery, or your recovery may be reduced proportionate to your own fault. The law differs from state to state, but a personal injury lawyer will be able to tell you which applies in your state. You can schedule a free consultation to find out now.
Injury Settlement Information
Even if you can prove that another party was responsible for your personal injuries, you can't recover in a personal injury case unless your personal injury attorney can show compensable damages such as:
- Medical bills;
- Lost work time;
- Property loss or damage;
- Pain and suffering.
If you can prove damages, you and your personal injury lawyer will need to review them together to determine whether or not they are sufficient to justify moving forward. If your personal injuries are slight and your losses small, then you may not be able to recover enough to justify the investment of time, lost work, and evidence collection required to pursue your claim.
Personal Injury Claim: Be Prepared
Personal injury cases require an investment. If you're going to file a claim, you have to be prepared:
- Personal injury cases can take months, sometimes even years to settle or reach trial;
- Insurance company representatives, opposing parties and their attorneys, and even some of your friends may try to make you feel guilty for pursuing the personal injury claim, as if you weren't entitled to be compensated for your personal injuries;
- You may have to appear for depositions, answer written interrogatories with the help of your personal injury attorney, and provide documents and other evidence to the opposing party.
If, with that realistic view in mind, you're ready to move forward and pursue the compensation you deserve, call Total Injury at 1 (877) 288-7564 or fill out our free case evaluation form and take the first step right now!
Injury Lawyers
The legal process can be daunting, and you probably don't have enough knowledge of the law or your options to make clear decisions about your next steps. If you're unsure how to proceed, a free consultation with one of the personal injury lawyers who sponsor Total Injury may be a good way to figure out your case. You may not discover the strength or weakness of your case or what you might have stood to recover unless you speak with a personal injury lawyer who can explain your personal injury rights. Make sure that you have the information you need to make an educated decision-and gather that information before you take any action that might affect your case, like talking to an insurance company.
Personal Injury Attorneys in Your Area
All you have to do is submit a free online case evaluation form or call us toll-free at 1 (877) 288-7564. We'll connect you with a personal injury attorney in your area who will arrange a free consultation for you and help you learn more about the personal injury case steps involved in recovering any damages that may very well be entitled to you.
Sometimes personal injuries can cost so much money, you cannot handle the financial burden in addition to your regular living costs, and you may be forced to turn to other options.
If you are struggling with personal injury debt and can’t keep yourself afloat, you might want to consider talking with a local bankruptcy attorney to discuss all your potential options.
The above summary is by no means all-inclusive and is not legal advice. Laws may have changed since our last update. For the latest information on personal injury laws, speak to a local personal injury lawyer in your state.