Accident injury claim facts you should know go beyond crunching the numbers. When you meet with a personal injury attorney for a free consultation, you can expect the lawyer to present common facts that clients should understand.
You already have too much on your plate after an accident. Let a personal injury lawyer from Morgan & Morgan explain the facts of life for personal injury cases.
Fact #1: You Are on the Clock
It is not the clock that you hear during Final Jeopardy, but you do have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit or an insurance claim. Referred to as the statute of limitations, the deadline for taking any type of legal action is established a certain number of days after the date of the accident that caused your injuries.
One of the greatest benefits of hiring an experienced personal injury attorney is to ensure you meet every deadline mandated by the state where you live.
Fact #2: Act with a Sense of Urgency
Because you face one or more filing deadlines, you need to act with a sense of urgency when contacting a personal injury lawyer. It is a natural reaction to feel sorry for yourself after an accident, but you have to shake it off and move forward with an insurance claim and/or a civil lawsuit. Personal injury attorneys prefer to have as much time as possible to prepare for filing a civil lawsuit or an insurance claim.
The sooner you contact a personal injury lawyer, the stronger your case will be.
Fact #3: Seek Medical Attention
Many accidents cause injuries that require medical attention either at the scene of the accident or at the nearest emergency medical care center. However, some accidents do not appear to leave as much as a scratch on a victim’s body. This does not mean you should not seek medical care after an accident if you feel fine. Some accidents, especially those that involve motor vehicles, leave behind hidden injuries such as a concussion or internal bleeding.
Fact #4: Contingency Fee is the Way to Go
You have two options when it comes to paying your personal injury lawyer: Hourly or contingency fee. Unless your claim is clear-cut, you should hire an attorney on a contingency fee basis for two reasons. First, you do not have to pay any upfront fees. Second, lawyers that operate on a contingency fee basis tend to be more motivated to represent their clients’ best interests.
Fact #5: Plaintiffs That Hire Attorneys Win Larger Settlements
This is not a fact that we pulled out of thin air. Statistics demonstrate that victims of accidents that hire a personal injury lawyer receive settlements that are 3.5 times larger than the settlements awarded to plaintiffs that fought a legal fight on their own. In addition to the lawsuit statistics, the numbers also favor accident victims that hire an attorney to file an insurance claim.
Fact #6: Save Every Document
You can expect to receive a considerable number of documents that are associated with your case. Organize your documents in different files and keep track of them to avoid not having the information your lawyer needs to file an insurance claim or a civil lawsuit. Copies of medical records represent the most important documents that you need to organize. Make sure to save every email that is associated with your case as well.
Fact #7: Stay Off Social Media Sites
We are not suggesting you shun your grandparents, parents, or grandchildren online. Instead, you should not discuss your case in any way on any of the social media sites. You have heard the phrase, “Anything that you say can be used against you in a court of law.” Well, for a personal injury case, the same legal principle applies to plaintiffs. You want to avoid leaving incriminating information online such as downplaying the seriousness of your injuries.
Fact #8: Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions Closely
It is a given that you will follow the legal advice offered by your personal injury lawyer. What is not as likely in many cases is plaintiffs following the medical advice of their doctors. You have to follow your physician’s instructions to file a civil lawsuit and/or insurance claim. Deviating from a treatment and rehabilitation program can cost you money when the time comes for you to win a claim and/or a lawsuit.
Fact #9: Patience Is a Virtue
Good things happen to those that wait.
Although you are on the clock when filing the paperwork required for an insurance claim and a civil lawsuit, the same cannot be said for an insurance company and the judicial system. Personal injury cases take time to resolve, which means you should remain patient throughout the process. Wondering when you are going to get paid only leads to stress and frustration.
Personal injury checks typically arrive between four and six weeks after a case is resolved.
Fact #10: Pain and Suffering Is Difficult to Quantify
Despite what you might read, placing a dollar amount on pain and suffering is hard to do. There is a formula that some attorneys use to measure pain and suffering, but the fact remains that it is impossible to quantify emotional distress. How do you put a number on the many sleepless nights that you relived the accident?
Receiving compensation for pain and suffering requires the legal expertise of a personal injury attorney who has spent years presenting convincing arguments that lead to awards for emotional distress.