How A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You After An Injury

A personal injury lawyer will help you legally when you have sustained injuries from an accident. One of the first tasks a personal injury lawyer will help with is determining which insurance policy is required to provide financial benefits.

As your legal representative, your personal injury lawyer can interface with insurance companies on your behalf to ensure you obtain the benefits to which you are entitled. Most claimants do not realize how problematic it can be to make a statement that is requested by the insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster may use the statement to deny or minimize your claim or to prematurely close the file in order to limit the company’s financial liability.

Your accident lawyer represents you solely, so he or she will seek to ensure the best possible outcome for your needs. Your legal team will want to you to have your injuries documented with recommended medical specialists. He or she can also prepare you for an independent medical exam requested by the insurance company.

Your lawyer’s goal is to ensure you receive the most compensation possible based on the seriousness and impact of your injuries and the extent to which the injuries are long lasting. Understanding the legal process can make a significant difference in securing compensation. The following are particular areas in which a personal injury lawyer can help you with:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents can cause long-term or permanent damage, whether you are an automobile driver or passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist or pedestrian. Depending on the severity of the car accident, you may require ongoing medical care or therapy, and be unable to work for weeks, months, or years. A lawyer cannot restore your previous life but can help you obtain immediate benefits. A lawyer can also file a law suit on your behalf for compensation for the full extent of the injuries caused by the negligence of another.

Your ability to obtain compensation for damages will depend on the extent the accident was your fault. Fault will depend on factors such as whether you were obeying traffic laws (e.g., whether you crossed as a pedestrian where permitted and only when the traffic light “walk” signal appeared), whether your distractions were kept to a minimum (e.g., avoiding using a hand held device), your actions immediately before the accident, your location upon impact, your vehicle’s condition, and whether or not you were wearing appropriate safety devices (e.g., seatbelt if in an automobile, certified helmet and protective clothing if on a motorbike or bicycle). Evidence from witnesses can be key in determining liability, so you should try collect witness names and contact information at the accident and not rely on police or medical authorities to obtain this information. Photographic evidence is also invaluable, particularly at the scene of the accident.

The damages (or compensation) you receive from someone’s negligence will be reduced by the accident benefits you receive from your insurance company as you cannot collect twice for the same loss. The damage settlement you receive for your personal injury case should reflect your current and expected medical expenses and the loss of your current and future income.

Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

Accidents can cause a variety of brain and spinal cord injuries, resulting in anything from mild impairment to massive brain disruption, impairment of functioning below the level of the injury, and paralysis. Having a brain or spinal cord injury can threaten your livelihood and ability to care for yourself and your family. To demonstrate brain and spinal cord injury for legal purposes, you will need experts to provide medical reports. A personal injury lawyer can streamline and shorten this process and make receiving benefits much easier. A personal injury lawyer can ensure that financial compensation you receive for your long-term injuries is fair.

Other Injuries, Including Whiplash

Accidents can cause a variety of injuries, including whiplash and other soft tissue damage, broken bones, nerve damage, internal bleeding, and scarring. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you get the treatment needed for recovery.

Long-Term Disability

As with any insurance claim, you may need a lawyer to obtain the full long-term disability benefits to which you are entitled through your employer or private long-term disability insurance plan. To qualify, you will need to obtain certification by a medical professional when first applying and after the first two year period when additional criteria comes into force. Insurance claims that are denied are typically the result of a deficiency in the medical documentation, the injury or illness not meeting policy requirements, or the claim was not filed within the specific time period. Your personal injury lawyer will provide the legal assistance needed to help you obtain the long-term disability benefits you deserve.

Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one is highly stressful, particularly where the death could have been prevented. Submitting a wrongful death claim through a personal injury lawyer can provide answers, compensation for loss by bringing the responsible parties to justice, and it can help provide closure.