The personal injury claims process is complex and may be overwhelming; however, it helps break it down and define each component of the claim. One can file a personal injury claim when they incur injuries resulting from another party from slipping and falling car accidents or any other incidents that may lead to severe injuries.
When you are injured in this manner, these injuries may affect your standard of living physically and economically. The settlement and claim against the party at fault are meant to cover any medical bills, loss of wages, and any other suffering you endure due to the injuries.
Your Injury
Several scenarios are resulting in personal injury; however, it could either be negligence or an accident. You can slip and fall from leaning on a defective staircase, crashed from behind at a traffic light, or a physician could misdiagnose you and introduce severe health complications.
Ultimately, a legit claim must be supported by injuries incurred without you being at fault leading up to the actual incident. In some cases, you may be partially at fault, but as long as the other party bears the majority liability, you can still claim compensation with complications.
Seek Medical Treatment
Immediately after the accident, you should seek medical care without wasting any time. Seeking medical treatment as soon as possible gives critical documentation of the effects caused by the accident. In this case, medical bills are usually covered by successful personal injury claims.
Should your case end up in court, seeking medical attention immediately implies that you are enthusiastic and care about your recovery instead of getting the most out of the defense. The most important thing about getting medical care straight away is to avoid additional complications for your body, as well as the case.
Contact An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Once you’ve received medical attention and gathered yourself together, the next critical step is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney from Lamber Goodnow. Shortly after the accident, you will have many people needing you to sign necessary documentation like your insurance company, medical care providers, and the defendant’s representatives.
All of this may be overwhelming, and not every document you need to sign looks in your best interest; they could end up hurting your case. At this time, it’s best to avoid giving any statements or signing any document without the presence of your lawyer. An experienced lawyer will offer you a great deal of guidance, using their knowledge o help you understand the offers and the options you have specific to your claim.
File a Claim
In many states, the window to file an injury claim is two years from the date of the injury. However, once the claim has been filed, the injury case timeline can proceed for an indefinite period, generally, until the defendants and plaintiffs reach an agreement before or as a result of the court’s ruling. Filing a claim preserves the right to pursue compensation; it serves as a legal and official notification to the court and defendant.
While many people would be happy to accept any settlement that comes first, just to make ends meet, others prefer to take the case all the way to the court’s judgment and get what’s due to them by law. To make the best decision about your future, your lawyer will be there with you every step of the process.
Supporting Your Claim
The work does not stop as soon as you file the claim; instead, a personal injury claim can test your patience in so many ways, in some cases taking years to reach a conclusion. During the lengthy legal process, it’s essential that you keep your recovery a main priority, visiting your doctor and making therapy sessions. It’s just as crucial that you stay open and honest with your insurance about how the injuries have impacted your individual life, family, friends, and colleagues if you’re able to work.
Many people find it hard to be open about their feelings, while many can’t help but feel sorry for those suffering and having a slow recovery and pain. For the sake of your case, it’s important to voice out all issues caused by your injuries. Keeping and sharing all the videos, photos, and testimony of your professional and personal encounters help your case in court when the time comes.
Sometimes it may be overwhelming and challenging to remember every emotion during your recovery, so maybe keep a journal, putting all your thoughts and pain on paper. While opening up about your struggles resulting from the accident, be mindful of your social media content, as this may be used against you as a public statement.
Settlement Or Trial
Once you have consulted with your lawyer, filed a claim, and supported your claim with all the necessary information, the following final step in the personal injury claim is the settlement or trial. At this stage of your case, with a competent lawyer on your side, the groundwork should be enough to win your case successfully. Trails run for a long time, and the longer it takes, the more expensive it gets for parties involved.
Companies in defense usually rush to the negotiation table for a settlement and end the lawsuit for an agreed amount of funds. However, despite the plaintiff’s concerns, should they proceed with the trial, the judge may not always see the case in your favor, and the risk of going to trial is a lowered compensation to none at all.
Average Personal Injury Claims Timeframe
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to predict how long the process will take when it comes to a personal injury claim. Every case is unique in many ways. So cases end in quick settlements, which could take a couple of days to a few weeks to be settled. However, should the case go to court, it can take as long as a few years to end. The best way to start the process as possible is to contact an attorney immediately. You want to get a reputable lawyer from a law firm with a tremendous winning track record.
