Even if you consider yourself to be the most careful person in the world—someone who drives the speed limit and watches where they walk and does things deliberately and with purpose—accidents still happen. They’re unwanted and unplanned, hence why they’re called accidents.
But accidents can also be life-altering. Let’s say you work in construction and you take a spill on a work site. It might feel like nothing at first, but sometimes workplace injuries can be life-changing and not in a good way. Whether you know it or not, the injury you suffer on the job could entitle you to compensation.
If you’ve seen ads for accident lawyers on TV and smirked at them, smirk no more. If you’ve been injured at work, an accident lawyer should be a strong consideration for you as you debate whether or not to pursue a personal injury case.
So what constitutes a personal injury case? It’s one where a person suffers some kind of accident and someone else might be responsible (legally) for that harm. In most cases, the person or company who is responsible for the harm will pay money to the injured person for any pain they’re suffered, for medical bills and for any ongoing medical expenses.
Some common types of accident cases include:
- Car accidents (about 52% of all personal injury lawsuits)
- Slips and falls
- Medical malpractice (about 15% of personal injury cases)
- Dog Bites
- Assault and battery
- Defamation (libel and slander)
In cases involving personal injury, there are two likely accounts they can happen:
- Lawsuits: These are initiated when a person files a civil complaint against another party (the defendant). In doing so, the person alleges the defendant was careless or irresponsible in regards to the accident which caused harm to the victim. With lawsuits, the plaintiff must be able to prove negligence in regards to personal injury.
- Settlements: While there are a fair amount of personal injury cases that go to trial every year, most of them are settled informally between the plaintiff, defendant, their attorneys and insurers. A settlement is typically reached after a period of negotiation and ends with payment as well as a written contract to forgo further legal action.
So how can an accident lawyer help you with a personal injury case? By hiring an accident lawyer, a personal injury victim gains the following benefits:
- A legal sherpa: Pursuing any lawsuit, whether you’re talking about family court, bankruptcy or personal injury is far from easy. There’s a lot of paperwork to deal with and all the steps in the legal process can be daunting, if not a little terrifying. Thankfully accident attorneys have dealt with scores of personal injury cases and they’ll know just how to help you, guiding you through all the necessary legal steps. They’ll help you deal with insurance issues, access your injuries, analyze your pain and estimate what your medical needs or monetary needs are as you forward with the case.
- Getting fair compensation: You’ve likely seen a lot of personal injury commercials where victims claim to get millions of dollars from lawsuits they filed. There’s no way to tell if your case will turn out that away, but having an accident lawyer in your corner can be helpful in getting compensation that’s more than fair.
- Going to trial: As noted above, most personal injury cases are worked out through settlements. But if you’ve got a slam-dunk case, a lawyer can advise you whether or not it’s prudent to move ahead with a trial. If that’s the case, your accident lawyer will be motivated to help you and give you a shot of momentum in fights against employers and insurance companies.
There’s no doubt that suffering a life-altering injury on the job can be terrifying and horrific. It’s best to be mindful of the statute of limitations for a case, but if you want to pursue legal action, a personal injury lawyer can go to bat you. He or she will help you navigate through any and all legal obstacles and will ultimately help you get the compensation you deserve.