What Is a Personal Injury Lawyer and How Can They Help You?
The Personal Injury Attorneys assist people who are injured because of someone else’s negligence, misconduct or recklessness in obtaining compensation for their injuries. A Personal injury attorneys can also assist families that have lost loved ones due to the careless or intentional actions of another party.
Personal injury lawyers are advocates for families and individuals, and they fight to ensure that their rights to compensation are protected. Personal injury lawyers do this by negotiating with insurance companies and filing civil lawsuits against the at-fault party.
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Personal injury cases are classified into several types.
Personal injury claims are usually based on an act of negligence, or wrongdoing, that caused someone to be injured. The personal injury law is not just about traffic accidents. Personal injury lawyers are often involved in a variety of different cases.
- Bicycle accidents
- Boat accidents
- Car accidents
- Commercial vehicle collisions including buses
- Construction accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Motorcycle accidents
- Abuse and neglect in nursing homes
- Plane accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Premises Liability (i.e. being injured on another’s property which can include animal attacks, negligent security, and slip-and-falls)
- Product liability (injuries caused by defective products or failures to warn the consumer about a particular product’s dangers)
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Truck accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Wrongful death
Personal injury lawyers can specialize in a few areas, like auto accidents and slip-and falls. If you are looking for an attorney who can handle your injury claim, look for someone with experience in similar claims.
What do personal injury lawyers do?
Personal injury lawyers can assist with injury claims in many ways.
Investigating a Case
Personal injury lawyers are always cautious when accepting new clients, as they usually finance the cases themselves. They make their money by charging a percentage of compensation recovered rather than up-front legal fees. An attorney will evaluate the case to determine if the client is eligible for compensation. Personal injury attorneys will not take on a case until they are confident that they can win it for their client.
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Gathering Evidence
A personal injury lawyer will collect evidence of fault that can be used as support for the client’s case. A personal injury lawyer will likely request copies of police reports or accident reports as well as medical records and other documentation. The attorney will try to locate any witnesses who witnessed the accident that caused the injury and ask them to provide a statement. The attorney may also collect visual evidence such as photographs taken at the scene or footage from surveillance cameras that captured the incident. They may also consult experts to provide testimony in support of the claim. These experts include medical, mental health and accident reconstruction experts. They will act quickly to collect and preserve any evidence which could be lost or destroyed. These evidences can be used to prove that the at-fault person was in fact responsible for the injury.
Calculating the value of your claim
Once the extent and severity of the injuries and losses of the client are known, a personal injury attorney will calculate how much the claim is worth. Attorneys’ goal is to ensure that clients receive the maximum compensation possible for any losses they have suffered. Losses may be economic (like medical expenses or lost income) or non-economic (like pain and suffering). In wrongful death claims, a personal lawyer may be able help a family receive compensation for funeral expenses and burial costs, medical bills that were incurred before the person died, and lost household services.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Personal injury attorneys have a lot of experience in negotiating with insurers. They know the tricks that they use to reduce or deny claims and save money. A personal injury attorney can help injured victims negotiate with their insurers and legal team to get a fair settlement. Personal injury lawyers often handle all communications with insurance companies, preventing the client from making an error that could compromise their claim.
Prepare and file complaints
A personal injury attorney may file a lawsuit if settlement negotiations fail or if the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer. This legal document, also known as a complaint or a lawsuit, explains why the at-fault party is responsible for the injuries that their client suffered. The document also specifies how much compensation the plaintiff wants.
Entering Discovery
A personal injury lawyer will hand over the evidence they have gathered to the defense during discovery. They may also request the evidence of the defendant’s team. The attorneys may also take depositions of experts and witnesses.
Civil Court Trial
Most personal injury cases end with a settlement. Settlements can be reached by either party during discovery, mediation or even the trial. A personal injury lawyer will represent their client in court before a judge or jury if the case goes to trial. They present their client’s case, summon witnesses and act as their personal advocate during the sometimes confusing court proceedings.
What is the cost of personal injury lawyers?
The majority of personal injury lawyers work on contingency. This means that they do not charge an upfront fee. The attorney will only be paid a percentage of the compensation that they receive for their client. Hiring an attorney on a contingent fee basis will help injured people avoid adding to their financial burden due to high medical bills and lost wages.
For Help, Contact an Attorney for Personal Injury
A personal injury attorney can make the difference between you receiving fair compensation for your injuries and leaving with nothing.
St. Pete Jeanette Secor Attorney at Law has the resources and expertise to help you get the maximum compensation available for your losses. We can help you hold the negligent or malicious party responsible for their actions. Call us at (727) 822 8818 for a free consultation.