Suffering through a car accident or a workplace accident is bad enough, but if you don’t have proper representation, matters are only going to be made worse by unpaid medical bills, loss of work, and future complications you may have never even considered. Even though this can be a very trying time, to ensure you get the compensation due to you, you are going to need to hire an affordable personal injury attorney to represent you against the guilty party and/or their insurance companies.
When Negligence Lawyers Can Help
There is a really good chance you will still be in the hospital when the bill collectors come knocking on your door for payment. If your personal injuries were due to someone else’s negligence, this will be covered under what is known as “tort law.” Negligence lawyers, more commonly known as personal injury attorneys, are there to both punish the guilty party through civil litigation as well as ensuring their client receives the care they need as well as any additional compensation they are due, such as from pain and suffering.
What Injuries Qualify for a Personal Injury Lawyer?
The most common cases where you will need a personal injury lawyer are injuries from:
Personal Injury Law: What You Need to Know
What Services Does a Personal Injury Attorney Provide?
There are three basic areas where your personal injury attorney is going to help you:
- Explain your rights based on the circumstances of the case
- Provide legal advice
- Represent his or her client in court
When you sit down with a personal injury attorney, he or she is there to represent your best interests. Tasks such as dealing with insurance companies, working through the piles of paperwork, and deciding the best time to settle all fall under the attorney’s purview. In the overall scheme of things, only a small percentage of these cases find their way into a courtroom, so your attorney can guide you through the process to recommend the best time to settle and exactly what you should be looking for in the settlement to address your needs and concerns now as well as any possible future complications related to the injury or injuries.
Services You May Not Realize Personal Attorneys Will Handle on Your Behalf
There is one simple word to describe the bulk of the tasks your attorney will do on your behalf… legwork.
Investigating the Accident
While some accidents will be cut and dry, most of the time, if the case is headed to litigation, the facts may be in dispute. Your attorney and his or her team will be responsible for not only obtaining police reports but also to hold their own investigation to interview witnesses. Additionally, they will often use experts in the field to recreate the accident to better make your case.
Dealing with Medical Providers
As stated above, medical providers may be knocking on your door for payment while you are still lying in your hospital bed. Your attorney will take care of this to work with medical providers to ensure payment once the case has been settled.
Assessing Short and Long-Term Damages
Short-term damages related to injuries are usually fairly easy to assess, however, there are often unforeseen damages from these injuries that could happen far down the road. For instance, if you suffer a major back injury that requires a fusion, what will the implications be 10 or even 20 years down the road from the injuries? Your attorney will work to not only ensure you receive compensation for what you are suffering through today but what you may also suffer in future years.
Handling Legal Issues
In addition to the obvious, your personal injury attorney will handle negotiations with the insurance companies, arbitration (if needed), filing all required paperwork in full and on time, alternative dispute resolutions, and representation during mediation.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
There will be times when you may not need an attorney, such as minimal damages or no injuries. Our recommendation, however, would be to consult a personal injury lawyer regardless because even the simplest of cases can become very complex, very quickly, especially if the guilty party has representation or you are being forced to deal with insurance providers on your own. Since your initial consultation is free, give us a call to see if we can help. You can contact us at 855-633-0888 or click here for more information about our personal injury legal services.
Taryn J. White is a legal research specialist and Injury law news reporter. Her current accomplishments include helping those facing any injuries from vehicle accidents, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice.
