Suffering a personal injury is no fun, but it is especially frustrating when you are not at fault. You need to know what your rights are and what you can do to help yourself should this happen to you. Keep reading for some great advice about personal injury and the law.
At your first meeting with your personal injury lawyer, bring anything that you think is relevant to your case. For example, if the police were involved, bring a copy of their report. If you have spoken with your insurance company, bring any notes that detail what happened with them. All of this information will help your attorney start piecing together your case.
If you are in pain after an accident, be very vocal about it and never try to hold the feelings in. This is not a good idea because it will give the other party leverage during a lawsuit. They will argue that you never said that you were injured at the time of the accident.
Try to learn about the basics of how a personal injury case is evaluated. Similar to a stool, they are mainly evaluated on three principles: liability, damages, and collectability. Liability refers to how bad the action is, the evidence, and the facts of the case. Damages refers to the seriousness of the injuries and the opinions of witnesses and medical staff. Collectability refers to insurance coverage, policies, and assets.
If your case involves an insurance company, ask the lawyer if he has experience dealing with insurance company negotiations. If the attorney does not have ample experience, it is in your best interest to look for a different attorney. Most insurance companies hire a group of lawyers to represent them in these type cases; therefore, it is important that you have an attorney with experience in these types of negotiations.
Do a quick background check to determine whether or not your personal injury lawyer is qualified. The last thing that you need is for your lawyer to deceive you, which could have catastrophic results financially and personally if your case is important. Hire a lawyer who has a good history and currently has all of the prerequisites to practice.
Make sure the lawyer you choose has good experience with personal injury cases. Do not judge the lawyer by how many times he settled, but by what he was able to do for his clients. A personal injury lawyer may have many "successful" cases where he settled for less then he should have.
Many people do not realize all of the expenses you can claim once you have had an accident. While you may be aware of things like lost wages and the cost of medications, be aware that you can also sue for any money that you had to spend on mileage to and from the doctor and attorney's office.
Your lawyer is representing you in court, so you must choose the best option for your case. That means you need someone who you can build a great rapport with to ensure they like you enough to truly care about your case. Select a lawyer you feel is on your side.
If you are the kind of person who would like to hand your personal injury case off to a lawyer and have as little contact about it as possible, likely to be able to forget about it entirely, you should choose a larger law firm. They tend to have the same feeling about your case.
Make sure you have an attorney hired before you correspond with any insurance claims adjuster or responsible party. Anything you say can later be used as part of the evidence in the trial, and you need to discuss the details of what you will say with a lawyer first.
It is important that you determine the amount of your claim. This should not just be a random number. You need to figure your medical costs, lost wages, vehicle damage if applicable, etc. Basically, you need to determine just how much money you will need in order to be financially sound throughout your injury.
If you have to deal with an insurance company directly, it is typically best to bring a lawyer. Insurance companies know how to deal with claimants in a way which ensures that the insurer wins and the claimant loses. A lawyer can help you deal with their dirty tricks and keep your case a winner.
Watch for red flags when talking to prospective personal injury lawyers. It's usually not good idea to go with a lawyer that represents insurance companies. You need one that has experience representing injured persons. You should not choose a lawyer that asks for money or a retainer upfront or one that rejects a contingency fee. Avoid those lawyers that won't honor your wishes or sign the retainer agreement.
Be sure you want to do this. If you start a lawsuit, that is going to cost you money, time and a lot of aggravation. You will likely not get a result overnight. So you need to make sure you are ready for the long haul. If you aren't absolutely sure, you want to do this, reconsider.
Understand that you will be with your lawyer through the case and appeal process. A new attorney may be able to look at your case differently and help you win.
Make sure you bring in any witnesses who were at the scene or who are involved with your recovery. Neutral testimony has the most weight. Witnesses who can confirm the injuries and how your life is affected by these injuries can influence judgement.
Don't forget to keep copies of your prescriptions! What you pay for these and what they are for can be very important in presenting your case. Photocopy them and retain the original, providing the copy to your attorney. If your insurance pays you back for them, keep a copy of that confirmation, too.
Now that you've come to the end of this article, you can see the ways that you can help yourself through a personal injury. Take this advice to heart, and use every bit of it to your advantage. Soon, you will feel better and this will all be behind you.
Orignal From: Better Understand Personal Injury Law With These Tips
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