- May 20, 2024
- Personal Injury Law
In the aftermath of an accident where another party’s negligence or intentional act led to injuries, your path ahead may be uncertain. Besides the medical bills and recovery process, you may be worried about your future. How will you regain the normal life you had before your accident and injuries?
If you need time to heal and want to maximize your compensation, you should never wait to hire a personal injury lawyer. They can begin handling the legal process immediately and give you peace of mind.
Personal injury cases cover many types of accidents and injuries, so it’s important to retain an attorney who has managed cases just like yours. The time to call a personal injury attorney in your area is now.
Types of Personal Injury Cases and What an Attorney Must Know to Handle the Claim
Below is a summary of common types of personal injury cases and the skills a lawyer must have to protect you in these cases.
Car Accidents
To represent you legally in a personal injury accident involving a car, an attorney should have knowledge of local traffic laws and access to accident reconstruction experts. They also need to be well-versed in insurance negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and arguing cases in court. Lawyers who handle car accident claims must also understand injuries such as whiplash, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage.
Slip and Fall Accidents
A lawyer who oversees slip and fall accident cases must know first-hand about premises liability laws and the duty of care a property owner owes their visitors. They need to analyze a site’s conditions, understand local building codes, and familiarize themself with safety protocols.
Wrongful Death
If your case involves the wrongful and untimely death of a loved one, your lawyer should understand the state laws involving wrongful death claims and damages. They should be adept in calculating lost future earnings, funeral and burial expenses, and related damages.
Commercial Truck Accidents
Lawyers who take on commercial truck accident claims or semi-truck injury cases must know trucking regulations and compliance, including Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines, hours of service rules, and licensing and training requirements for drivers who drive commercially.
They should also be familiar with truck accident reconstruction, including:
- The mechanics and physics of large truck collisions
- Analysis of data from electronic logging devices and event data recorders
They should have access to accident reconstruction experts as well.
Lawyers who handle truck accident cases should also know how to negotiate with commercial truck insurers and maximize recovery from multiple insurance plans.
In addition, lawyers need to be familiar with truck maintenance and inspections. They should understand how trucks work and their parts and safety systems. They should be able to identify issues with brakes, cargo securement, tires, and other critical systems.
Your lawyer’s knowledge should extend to driver negligence, such as fatigue, distraction, substance abuse, and similar unsafe behaviors.
A lawyer who manages these cases must establish negligence, sometimes based on vicarious liability.
Indeed, your attorney should have strong litigation skills, all of which are essential for building a successful case and obtaining the maximum compensation for injuries.
The Initial Aftermath
After an accident and injuries, it might seem a major task to sort out your injuries and costs. You are dealing with medical appointments and determining how to care for yourself and your household with your injuries. Still, you need to eventually consider your legal options and obligations. Never wait to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney. Doing so will remove stress from you – not add to it.
The attorney will listen to how your injuries happened and advise whether you need their services.
Dealing with the Insurance Companies
As you recover physically, insurance companies will not make the process any easier for you. While you expect insurers to consider a claimant’s interests, they usually do not. Instead, these companies want to limit your compensation to improve their bottom lines.
Only accept a settlement offer after consulting a personal injury lawyer. Doing so might leave you with far less financial support than you need, and you can be responsible for many losses the liable party should have covered.
An experienced personal injury attorney will see through an insurance company’s tactics and negotiate with the skill of a seasoned strategist. They will always advise when an offer is insufficient and continue to negotiate a higher amount.
Personal injury laws are more complicated than you might think, including statutes of limitations, liability principles, and other issues that require a lawyer’s experience. Personal injury lawyers have a deep knowledge of the legal system, so they can direct you toward reaching your settlement goals.
Preparing for Battle in the Justice System
When the time arrives to hold the other party accountable, your lawyer will be your voice – a voice that will allow you to exert your rights and receive the compensation you need and deserve.
Preparation involves the gathering of evidence, including expert testimony, medical records, and reconstructions of the accident. You will need evidence to prove both liability for the accident and your resulting losses.
Concluding Your Case
If you win your claim or case, your attorney will collect a percentage of the settlement when you collect compensation. If your attorney does not win your case, you don’t owe them an attorney’s fee. Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis to allow injury victims access to legal representation regardless of their financial resources. So, there is no risk in hiring a personal injury attorney.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer Now
It’s always a good idea to consult a personal injury lawyer. Tell them about your situation so they can determine if you can file a claim for compensation. Whether you file a claim and settle outside or inside of a courtroom, you can experience a better process and outcome if you have legal support. Contact a personal injury attorney if you feel another party was negligent for your personal injuries. Consultations are free.
Attorney Lakota Denton
Lakota Denton has been practicing in his own firm since 2013, focusing solely on personal injury. He is a member of the American Association of Justice, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the North Carolina Bar association, the American Bar Association, the National Trial Lawyers, and was awarded Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers, the 2014 Top 40 Lawyers under 40, and the Avvo clients choice award. [ Attorney Bio ]