Getting into an accident is often incredibly confusing, especially when you sustain an injury. Despite requiring medical attention, you’ll need to think about many different things: who is responsible for causing you the injury, the kind of damage you suffered, and how to recoup your losses as a result of your injury. Some injuries are easily treatable, allowing you to continue working and carry on with your life mostly as expected. However, others affect your ability to work, making life after injury incredibly difficult.
Whatever the case, you’ll want to consider working with a personal injury attorney, especially when someone else was responsible for the accident that caused your injury. Holding the other party liable for your lower quality of life will be made much more manageable with the help of a legal professional since they can get you the compensation you deserve.
Here’s what you need to know about personal injuries:
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What to Do After an Accident
The first thing you must do after getting into an accident is to seek medical attention right away, regardless of how mild you think your injuries may be. Many victims still experience an adrenaline rush or shock after an accident, which means they often don’t realize the extent of their injuries, causing them to think they aren’t worthy of a trip to the emergency room.
Some people experience pinched nerves or simple strains after an accident, which can often progress into full-blown complications when left untreated. It can also substantially affect your quality of life, resulting in income loss as you spend time in recovery. Fortunately, hiring a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer will help you get the maximum compensation possible, ensuring you maintain your quality of life even after the accident.
The Most Common Types of Personal Injuries
Whether you’ve already been involved in an accident or not, it’s crucial to stay aware of the different types of personal injuries. That way, you’ll know the right course of action to take if you find yourself in a similar situation.
Injury Due to Another Party’s Negligence
Everyone is responsible for following the rules in everything they do. However, if they fail to follow established guidelines and you were injured; as a result, then you can file a civil suit to claim compensation for the injuries the other party caused you.
Injury Due to a Slip and Fall
All public areas are responsible for ensuring their space is safe and hazard-free for people to walk around, roam, and spend time in—as long as they’re following the rules. However, if you slip and fall and hurt yourself because of a hazard they created or permitted to exist, you can recover compensation from them. The store or commercial establishment must make sure that no one is in danger on their premises. Any injury resulting from their oversight entitles you to receive compensation.
Injury Resulting From Another Person’s Intentional Actions
If another party decides to hurt you intentionally, then you have the full right to sue them. Even if they didn’t intend to hurt you specifically, you could still take them to court, especially if you suffered an injury because of it.
Injury From a Dangerous Drug
The government stringently regulates drugs and has specific classifications for them accordingly. However, they sometimes overlook these safety standards when releasing a new drug, which often results in class action lawsuits against the manufacturers. If you are injured because of a hazardous drug, you should work with a personal injury lawyer to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Injury From Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals are required both by their Hippocratic Oath and the law to provide you with the best care possible. Unfortunately, some doctors have made careless mistakes, resulting in injuries in some patience. If this has happened to you, you can pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit, which allows you to receive compensation for the doctors’ costly and dangerous mistakes.
Injury Due to a Dog Bite
Dog bites also have strict liability standards, which means you are allowed to sue and seek compensation for injuries if someone’s dog bites you. Owners are responsible for their dog’s behavior, so they can be held accountable for your wounds and be obligated to pay for medical expenses.
Injury From a Vehicular Accident
Auto accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injuries. As such, every state requires drivers to have liability insurance to ensure the other party is protected if they suffer an injury.
Injury Resulting From Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is rooted in medical malpractice, in which a doctor diagnoses you with the wrong condition or illness and recommends an unsuitable treatment to help address the underlying issue. If your condition worsens due to the misdiagnosis, you are permitted to sue them and receive compensation.
Injury Due to Unsafe Conditions
Similar to an injury caused by a slip and fall, injuries due to unsafe conditions at any place, whether a public area or a private home, makes you eligible to seek compensation. The owners of these areas will then be considered negligent, which means they are liable for your safety. They are thus responsible for ensuring you are safe and taken care of, especially when injured.
Injury From a Defective Product
The law requires that all products are safe when used correctly, especially when the instructions are clearly and explicitly stated. However, if you use a product correctly and it injures you, you can hold the manufacturer responsible for it.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Attorney
Regardless of the kind of personal injury you have sustained, it is never a good idea to represent yourself without the help of a personal injury attorney. Even if you have some law experience, it can be challenging to remove yourself from the situation enough to achieve an objective view of everything, affecting your chances of success. People often forget how difficult offending insurance companies can be when representing themselves in court, as these entities are most interested in protecting themselves. Since you have personally suffered the pain on which your case revolves, it can be incredibly challenging to advocate for yourself, primarily when no one else supports you.
For you to avoid this scenario, it’s best to hire a personal injury attorney, as they know when to apply the correct pressure to get the results you both want and deserve. They can also be assertive when needed and learn how to navigate cases that involve difficult personalities and companies, often requiring strategy to maneuver with success.
A personal injury attorney can step in and help many different circumstances. For instance, if you or your loved one has suffered grave personal injuries, you’ll require an attorney with extensive experience to represent you. You’ll have to spend time recovering and caring for yourself, especially after the hazardous situation that caused you your injury. Still, you’ll also have to take care of all the legal concerns that come with filing a claim. Fortunately, a personal injury attorney can take care of all that for you while you take care of your immediate needs.
Personal injury attorneys can also correctly identify the statutes of limitation that apply to your situation. These often vary from state to state or even location, so it’s crucial to have a professional determine the statutes from the get-go. That way, you can run the entire process smoothly from start to finish, minimizing worries and any room for complications.
Many long-term injuries often start as personal injuries that go on for a year or longer. Some are permanent injuries that disable you for the rest of your life, impacting your ability to work or find employment. They are also often expensive to treat, which is why a personal injury attorney will come in handy. They can prove that the other party was responsible for your injury and make them cover all recovery costs, including income loss and medical expenses. With the financial aspect taken care of, you can focus on healing and getting the best care available.
Tips to Consider When Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
There are a few things you’ll want to consider when hiring a personal injury attorney. For instance, you’ll want to prioritize someone with decades of experience, as that means they have dealt with various personal injury cases. They’ll be capable of handling your injury, whether it occurred due to an auto accident or even a job site accident. Ensure that the attorney has represented individuals with personal injuries similar to the type of accident you have suffered.
You’ll also want to look at their reputation by looking for reviews online. These testimonials and comments will likely mirror the experience and service you’ll get from the personal injury attorney you choose, making them reliable resources.
It’s also essential to meet the attorney and interview them to determine your comfort level. You’ll be working with this legal professional during your most vulnerable time, significantly as you recover from your injury, so you’ll need to make sure you are compatible. They must answer your questions and concerns in a way that makes you feel most comfortable, as this will prevent problems down the road.
What You Should Do When Filing a Personal Injury Claim
When you get into an accident, especially a car accident, you’ll be wondering what you need to do first. Even though this is a situation in which you must think clearly and respond right away, you’re likely physically and emotionally impaired due to the shock of the accident. Given the incredibly upsetting and distressful nature of accidents, victims will require the aid of a personal injury attorney, who can help them understand what they’re going through and how to file a personal injury claim.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive to address your injuries, do your best to document the accident. Gather as much evidence as possible and, if you’re able, take photos of the accident. The more documentation you have, the stronger you can make your case, ranging from receipts to CCTV footage. You can even note the time that certain events occurred, such as when you boarded a taxi. Take note that the statements that police officers take at the scene, especially from you, are often viewed as inadmissible in court due to the way your perception and sensations altered by accident.
When you are able, contact a law firm to work with a personal injury attorney right away. They can help you start your injury claim and negotiate with insurance companies, which are notorious for denying individual claims. They often tend to string out the legal process long enough to frustrate the plaintiff into giving up, which is how they avoid paying for the medical costs and other associated expenses of the injured party. Fortunately, personal injury attorneys are experts in this area and will ensure to fight tooth and nail for the compensation you rightfully deserve.
When To Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
Personal injuries are complicated enough due to the many scenarios in which they occur. Fortunately, a personal injury attorney can help you iron out the process and prepare everything you need to win a claim. They can deal with challenging, stubborn insurance companies for you, taking care of all the legal hassles while you focus on recovering from the accident. With a personal injury attorney by your side, you’ll increase your chances of getting enough compensation to cover your losses and make up for the pain you’ve suffered.
Shiner Law Group is a law firm with the best personal injury attorneys and accident lawyers in Florida. We represent injured people who have suffered losses due to someone else’s carelessness, negligence, and actions. Whether you’ve gotten into a fall accident, suffered an injury because of medical malpractice, or a car accident, our legal specialists, can help you file a claim. All our services are available online for your convenience and safety, and we can attend to your concerns 24/7, ensuring you have all the help you need. Contact us at (561) 777-7700 or fill out our free online consultation request to get started today!
