Injury Lawyer FAQ
It’s an unfortunate reality that injuries happen every day in the United States, and while many of these are self-inflicted, either intentionally or unintentionally, there are plenty of injuries that are the result of another person’s negligence. Such explains why there are hundreds of thousands of personal injury lawyers operating in the United States today. It makes sense that a lot of individuals have questions about personal injury lawyers and the cases they help injured parties file, and some of the frequently asked questions are answered below.
Call 1-800-HURT-511 to speak with our injury lawyers in the Bronx. We’ve been representing injured parties for a long time, and we’ve secured hundreds of awards for individuals who were harmed as a result of another person’s negligence.
What Is A Personal Injury Lawsuit?
A personal injury lawsuit is what an injured party will file against the parties who are at fault for their injuries. Usually injuries are the result of somebody else’s negligence, and there are many kinds of personal injury lawsuits. You may file a personal injury lawsuit if you’ve been injured in any of the following:
- Truck or bus accident
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident
- Bicycle accident
- Sidewalk accident
- Construction accident
- Slip & fall accident
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace injury
- Wrongful death
- Child abuse toxic
- Toxic torts
How Is Fault Determined In A Personal Injury Case?
Since there are different kinds of personal injury cases, there are varying requirements for determining fault. For example, in cases that involve an accident happening on somebody’s property, it’s here where premises liability law will be cited. This doctrine holds that property owners must take care of their properties and properly address hazards once they arise. And if injuries were the result of a truck accident, fault may be shared by more individuals and entities than just the driver.
A skilled and experienced injury lawyer, like the ones at the Sanders Law Firm, will be able to determine where fault lies in a case, and they’ll be able to sue every party that bears some liability.
What Should Be Done Immediately Following An Accident?
Time is of the essence once an injury occurs. This is why it’s best to file an injury lawsuit as soon as possible. Evidence degrades as time passes, which means it’s harder to seek damages for injuries when the accident in question happened years ago. The first thing you should do immediately after an accident is seek medical attention.
Seek Medical Attention
Seeking professional medical attention immediately after an accident is important for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the injuries you sustained need to be treated. Also, a record of injuries needs to be created, as this will serve as a fundamental piece of your lawsuit later on.
Even if you don’t believe you’ve been injured, you should still seek medical attention, as you may have sustained injuries that will present later on. A physician will be able to tell the extent of your injuries upon examining you, and they’ll make note of these injuries so when they manifest later on, there’s documentation which ties them to the accident.
Reach Out To An Injury Lawyer
Once you’re physically and mentally able to, you should contact an injury lawyer to formally get the lawsuit in motion. You won’t have to pay up front for the lawyer, and once you’ve formally hired a lawyer, they’ll begin the evidence-gathering process. They’ll also start interacting with other parties to the case, involved insurance companies, other parties’ lawyers, the police, etc.
Is An Injured Party Responsible For Paying Their Medical Bills After An Accident?
Even if the injuries you’ve sustained from an accident were caused by another’s negligence, you’re still responsible for paying your own medical bills. The way things work is when an individual receives an award from a personal injury lawsuit, this award is partly used to cover medical expenses.
Your health insurance provider, if you have one, may cover upfront costs, and any costs they don’t cover may have to be paid out of pocket. Or you could sign a lien with the medical care provider who treated you and essentially obligate yourself to pay them later on with your anticipated award.
What Are Injury Damages Supposed To Cover?
Damages is the legal term for compensation that’s awarded to an individual after it’s been proven that their injuries were the result of another’s negligence. Damages are used to cover the following:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages both past and future
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Permanent disability
If an accident victim succumbed to their injuries, their dependents/family can claim damages on their behalf to cover funeral expenses, loss of a provider, and other costs associated with the death.
How Long Does One Have To File A Personal Injury Case?
In New York, an accident victim has three years from the time the accident occurred to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, if the injured individual died as a result of the accident, their dependents/family will only have two years to file. And if a government entity is being sued, an injured individual could have as little as 30 days to bring a lawsuit.
How Long Do Injury Cases Usually Take?
How much time a lawsuit requires to reach a resolution largely depends on the facts of the case. Some cases can be resolved in just a few months, whereas others take a few years to be resolved. If your case goes to trial, this will elongate the process.
Does A Plaintiff Have To Pay If They Lose Their Case?
In most instances, a plaintiff is not responsible for paying their attorney if they lose their case. Most personal injury lawyers will only seek compensation, usually 1/3 of an award, if an award is secured.
What Will An Injury Lawyer Do For Their Client?
Most injured individuals get help from an injury lawyer in the wake of an accident. That’s because an injury lawyer will take care of the hassles associated with filing a lawsuit, and they’ll also be able to represent an accident victim’s interests in court (should the lawsuit end up there). Plus, a skilled and experienced injury lawyer will be able to determine a proper total damages figure, and they’ll know exactly who to sue after an accident.
If you’re looking for the best personal injury lawyers in Brooklyn, call 1-800-HURT-511. We fight for accident victims every day, and we’ll fight for you if you were injured because of another person’s negligence.
Thank you for reading our Injury Lawyer FAQ
Trusted Reviews
