As human beings, we have all experienced some form of injury in our lives. Whether it was a skinned knee or a broken bone as a child or a more serious injury later in life, the one thing that’s for sure is that we never want it to happen again. According to The Barnes Firm injury attorneys, being involved in an accident can bring serious added stressors to daily life as victims attempt to heal from their injuries while navigating the legal system to make sure they receive compensation for their injuries. This article will outline information to help you know what to expect when hiring a personal injury attorney to make sure your needs are met. If you’re fighting with insurance companies or struggling to pay medical bills caused by an accident, plenty of companies have experienced personal injury lawyers on staff ready to review your case, allowing you to focus on healing while they focus on getting your back on your feet.
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What Qualifies as a Personal Injury?
Personal injury refers to any accident, illness, or trauma resulting in physical or psychological harm to the affected person. Common causes of personal injury include car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace incidents, and dog bites. The severity of the injury, the area where it occurred, and the manner in which it occurred are all determining factors in deciding whether or not the aid of a personal injury lawyer will be necessary. In legal cases, victims of an accident may be entitled to compensation for hospital bills, missed wages, or other non-economic damages if they were injured on someone else’s property and/or as a result of someone else’s negligent acts.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help My Case?
In many personal injury cases, businesses and insurance agencies will immediately begin building a case to defend their side of the story by trying to deny responsibility or downplay the severity of injuries of the affected party. Making the decision to hire a personal injury attorney is largely dependent on the severity of the injury and the role of the defendant in causing or failing to prevent the injury. Hiring a personal injury attorney will ensure you are building the strongest case possible to defend your claims in court by doing the majority of the investigative work for you.
What is the Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Your lawyer and the law firm’s investigative team will work on collecting evidence, gathering witness statements, and communicating with business owners, insurance companies, or other responsible parties while you focus on healing. In addition to collecting evidence to build a case, your lawyer is knowledgeable about the law and has experience with court cases involving communicating with insurance companies and other lawyers. Having a knowledgeable, experienced attorney at your side will ensure you receive fair compensation in a negotiation or at trial.
What is the Timeframe for Personal Injury Cases?
If you have met with an attorney and determined that making a case is in your best interest, your lawyer should be able to give you a ballpark estimate of how long your case may take based on the evidence presented. Once a lawyer has agreed to take on your case, a certain timeline of events will occur which can vary in length depending on a number of factors. Research into personal injury cases has determined that these types of claims may take anywhere from 1-3 years from the time of injury to the final settlement or verdict. The length of litigation can be impacted by a number of factors including how complex the case is, case worth, the lawyer’s caseload, patience of the claimant, and the severity of the injuries.
What is my Personal Injury Case Worth?
While the amount of money awarded in personal injury cases varies widely based on a number of factors, a free case evaluation may be able to help you determine if it’s beneficial to take legal action for your injuries. A personal injury attorney will evaluate total damages to the injured party which includes what the injuries have cost the person monetarily, physically, and mentally. Most personal injury damages are known as compensatory damages which intend to compensate the injured party for their injury or loss. Compensatory damages include things such as cost for medical treatment, loss of income or earning capacity, property loss, and damages from emotional trauma. Additionally, most personal injury cases will involve some form of punitive damages which seek to punish the negligent party and ensure the appropriate steps are taken to prevent future injuries. Most states have a monetary cap on punitive damages, but that is not the case in California or New York and your personal injury attorney will work to help you receive fair compensation.