When you’ve sustained injuries in an accident, through no fault of your own, you may be wondering if you have a claim to compensation resulting from the negligence of the other person or party.
Personal injury accidents – automobile accidents, defective products, truck collisions, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall claims, and medical malpractice happen all the time, and there are personal injury experts who can help you.
If you are the victim of a personal injury, you do have the right to make a damage claim against the person or party who is at fault. Your damage claim can include compensation for your medical bills, damages (both physical and emotional), salary lost, as well as long term issues from your injuries.
But, how do you go about filing a personal injury claim? Here are the guidelines you need to follow in beginning your personal injury claim and garnering the compensation you deserve.
Determine the Validity of Your Personal Injury Claim
In other words, do you have a valid claim against the other person or party involved in the accident? You, as the party making the personal injury claim will have to prove your claim against the responsible party. Specifically, you will need to prove the person or party who caused your injury due to negligence has a “duty of care” and they failed to provide the “care” due in the situation which caused the accident.
Identify Your Injuries as well as Your Damages
The bodily injuries you sustained – your physical, psychological, or emotional damages, pain and suffering as a result, and your property damages – will determine the extent of your claim. You will use this to calculate the monetization of your claim.
Collect the Supporting Evidence for Your Personal Injury Claim
To prove your personal injury claim, you will need any and all evidence you can gather. Be sure to seek medical attention following your accident as medical information will be crucial to a positive outcome for your claim.
Needed evidence can include physician’s and health care professional’s reports, police reports, photos taken at the scene following the accident, photos of your injuries, witnesses’ accounts and their contact information, traffic camera or news story film footage, etc. and will be used to make a successful case against the negligent person or party.
Hire an Experienced Law Firm to Represent Your Personal Injury Claim
As a general rule, the most trusted and experienced personal injury attorneys do not collect any fees until your case is successfully completed. Experienced professional attorneys have the know-how to guide you through the complex legal system surrounding personal injury claims.
When it comes to finding the right attorney, do your research, ask for references, and look at their track record.
An attorney with Mesriani Law Group, in Southern California, offers this sage advice, “Look for an attorney who wins cases. This may seem simple enough but there is a reason some lawyers win, and others lose. Often, an attorney who loses a lot of cases is doing so because he or she is doing something wrong (e.g., not filing properly, not interviewing witnesses, and not following up with judges and opposing counsel).”
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Victims of accidents or other personal injury situations often falter and wait until it’s too late to file a claim. Don’t let it happen to you. You have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, losses, and the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your accident.
Before you speak to an insurance adjuster working for the accused negligent person or party, choose your personal injury attorney to represent you. Insurance adjusters are working for the accused and though they may sound as if they want to help you get payment for your medical bills, their ultimate goal is to see your case settled for the smallest amount possible, regardless of your injuries, pain, suffering, and losses.
A professional injury attorney, experienced in the legal system, can help you navigate the complexities of your personal injury claim. Calling on the experience and expertise of a dedicated personal injury attorney will assure you the maximum compensation for your injuries in the shortest possible time.
