Image credit: https://flic.kr/p/nqY6PX
If you have experienced an injury as a result of work, a car accident, or other situation where you were harmed through no fault of your own, you may need a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights and assure that you receive fair compensation to cover lost wages, medical bills, and other expenses directly related to the injury.
Physical Injury
The most common incidents of personal injury are physical in nature such as injuries related to car accidents, mishaps dealing with medical or dental procedures, and diseases or sicknesses that are brought on due to the conditions of the work environment.
These injuries may be debilitating or an obtrusive annoyance that keep you from functioning as you normally would otherwise. But whether these are serious or not, if you are unable to receive reasonable compensation from the other party, a personal injury lawyer will fight for your cause.
Emotional Distress
Another element of personal injury claims includes emotional distress suffered at the hands of employers, spouses, or even strangers. Defamation of character is categorized under personal injury, and money may be rewarded to the afflicted party for damages.
If you believe that you were in a hostile work environment or a situation where an individual or firm caused you severe mental anguish, you can take actions to guard yourself by seeking legal counsel.
Going Against Goliath
Those of us who have been in a car accident know how difficult it can be to get a fair settlement from the other driver’s insurance company. They have agents and representatives that will actually try to prove that it was partially your error even when it is evident that the other driver was at complete fault.
Why do insurance firms do this? They make it a priority not to pay the full amount for your rightful claim to damages. The less they pay out, the more they save in their costs.
A personal injury lawyer can go up against these Goliath-type companies and plead your case in court by establishing the facts, assessing what the damages or payment to you should be, and why the insurance company is liable for more than they are offering.
Beware of What You Say to Insurance Adjusters
After you file a claim, you will be called by an insurance claims representative and asked to give an account of the accident for insurance purposes. You may give factual information such as the date, time, and circumstances, but do not volunteer anything else because adjusters can use what you say to help them lower the cost of the settlement to you. They may appear friendly and helpful, but remember that their paycheck is coming from the insurance company and they are advised to keep settlement costs down.
The best plan of action, after you hire a personal injury lawyer, is to keep them informed and not to speak with anyone representing the insurance company until you are advised on the course of action you should take.