About 2.4 million Americans are injured at work in a single year. Many others are also injured because of a third party’s negligence. If you recently were in one of these accidents and are looking for fair compensation, hiring a personal injury lawyer is an essential first step.
If it’s your first time looking for an attorney, you likely don’t know where to start. Here, we’re going to tell you the basics of finding and signing with a personal injury law firm. Read on for a complete guide on filing your claim.
What Is a Personal Injury Attorney?
A personal injury (PI) lawyer is an attorney who helps you get compensation for a PI claim. They also are sometimes referred to as “tort lawyers.” Personal injury law is also sometimes called “tort law.”
If you were injured because of someone else’s actions or negligence, you can file a personal injury case with an attorney. This lawyer will then negotiate with the defendant’s lawyers or insurance company.
The goal is to get you the best possible settlement so that you get appropriate financial compensation. PI lawyers help you to get compensation for medical bills, work hours lost due to the injury, and occasionally pain and suffering.
What Can An Attorney Do for You?
For an injury to qualify for compensation, the main requirement is that the plaintiff (you) can prove that the defendant was at fault. Proving fault requires that you show that the responsible party could have taken steps to prevent the injury. It also requires proving that they failed to do so by taking reasonable precautions.
For example, if you fell through a broken floorboard at work and broke your ankle, you would need to prove that the employer neglected to search for it or that they neglected to appropriately fix it. If you can prove that your workplace could have prevented the injury, you have a valid personal injury claim.
The main job of a personal injury attorney is to help you prove fault. They do this in several ways, including:
- Inspecting the site of the injury
- Taking eyewitness reports of what happened (when available)
- Talking to the party you’re trying to prove is at fault for your injury to gather information
- Looking into legal and company information to determine what “reasonable steps” to prevent the injury would have been
- Looking over your medical documents and hospital reports
- Looking at inspection reports for the site of your injury
This is the initial function of a tort lawyer. However, there is more work to do as the case progresses as well.
Beyond Proving Fault
After proving fault and deeming your claim valid, a personal injury lawyer will:
- Research how much compensation they believe you are do
- Realistically assess how much compensation you will get
- Talk to the defendant’s insurance company
- Talk to the opposing lawyer (when applicable)
- Try to get you the closest amount of financial compensation to what you are due<.li>
Only around 5% of personal injury cases ever go to trial. However, in the unlikely event that yours does, your lawyer will also represent you in court.
Quality tort attorneys also will keep you posted at every step of your case. They’ll communicate openly about you about offers and potential settlements. They also will be happy to answer any inquiries that you have throughout legal proceedings.
The Different Types of Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury cases aren’t one-size-fits-all. Workplace injuries are only one possibility, and they usually are settled with worker’s compensation rather than tort lawyers. Any injury sustained at any location can qualify for a PI case if someone else is at fault.
Slipping and falling at a mall or shop may qualify if the venue fails to put up “wet floor” signs. This would qualify as a slip-and-fall case, which is a common section of PI law.
Sustaining burns from taking plates at restaurants may qualify if the waiter could have put the tray down themselves. Injuries with fault may occur if you sit on a broken park bench that has not been roped off. You can sue the establishment in any of these cases.
One common type of personal injury case is car accident law. If you were injured by another driver and require compensation for hospital bills, vehicle damage, and time off work, you can sue the other driver if the crash was their fault. The same applies to truck, semi-truck, and motorcycle accidents.
Medical malpractice and injuries sustained due to faulty products can also end in lawsuits. So can burn injuries, dog bites, and issues with illness after poor restaurant cleanliness. Wrongful death cases also fall under the personal injury umbrella, though these are carried out by the family after the victim’s passing.
How to Find a Personal Injury Lawyer
There are several important actions to take before signing any forms with a personal injury lawyer. They include:
- Considering your specific case type when searching (slip and fall, burn, car accident, etc.)
- Comparing attorney fees so that you can get the best deal
- Looking into the lawyer’s past experience
- Ensuring that they have a high-quality legal education from a reputable institution
- Reading online reviews to ensure that past clients were happy
Once you have assessed all your options, you can then begin to reach out to those that you think are a good fit. Remember to inquire about your specific type of case to ensure that the attorney has relevant experience.
Start Filing Your Case Today
While many factors go into opening a personal injury case, there’s nothing to stress about once you find the right attorney. Now that you know why and how to hire a personal injury attorney, it’s time to begin finding a legal expert that can handle your case.
Titan Law Firm specializes in PI law so we can dedicate our time and expertise to this area of practice. We’re committed to assisting those who need help after an injury or car crash. Request a free consultation to determine whether we’re a good fit or give us a call today at 888.848.2656.
