Jack, a 24-year-old young man, had just landed his dream job as a construction worker. Being a hardworking fellow, Jack was excited to start his new job and work his way up the ladder.
One day, while Jack was working on a construction site, he had an accident. A heavy steel beam fell on his foot and left him with a severe injury.
He was in severe pain and was unable to walk or work. In all this hullabaloo, Jack was worried about how he was going to pay his bills and support himself.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, it occurred to him that he had read somewhere about a personal injury lawyer. He talked to his friends and family, who mostly tried to dissuade him by saying lawyers were expensive. They insisted that he could handle the case on his own.
But Jack knew he needed someone who could help him get the compensation he deserved.
He found a personal injury lawyer who was not only experienced but also had a reputation for winning cases.
He listened to Jack’s sad story and assured him that he would do anything in his power to help him.
The lawyer worked hard on Jack’s case and was able to get him a settlement that covered all his medical expenses and lost wages.
A few months later, Jack was able to return to work and get back to his personal life.
Jack’s personal injury lawyer was able to get him the justice he deserved and go back to the construction site with a new pair of steel-toed boots and a greater appreciation for safety measures.
The moral of this story is that accidents do happen, but with the help of a personal injury lawyer, you can ensure that you are not left to suffer alone.
What does a personal injury lawyer do?
Personal injury lawyers represent individuals who have been injured in accidents. A personal injury lawyer works in tort law, which includes negligent as well as intentional acts. They basically pursue compensation for accident victims.
A personal injury lawyer will also assist with a broad range of incidents, such as:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorbike accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Boating accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Legal malpractice
- Wrongful deaths
- Workplace injury
Furthermore, they may be involved in cases involving premises liability, such as negligent security, slip and fall accidents, and animal bites and attacks.
On the same scale, personal injury lawyers also handle cases touching on nursing home abuse and neglect and construction accidents.
By the same token, medical malpractice and negligence cases also fall under the umbrella of personal injury cases.
Types of Compensation
Personal injury petitioners may be entitled to compensation for the damages that they have suffered.
The compensation package will most likely entail medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, loss of income, loss of consortium, loss of companionship, loss of enjoyment of life, mental stress, and pain and suffering.
Acts of personal injury lawyers
A personal injury lawyer’s actions are guided by the type of case, specialty area, and current status of a case.
The following are some of the activities that a personal injury lawyer may do and how they may influence your case:
Investigating claims
Personal injury lawyers screen potential clients and evaluate the merits of a case before they agree to pick it up.
This is because most work on a contingency fee basis, in which they only charge lawyer’s fees after they have secured a settlement or court ruling.
Now, having to finance a case makes them more careful to avoid losing their money.
Gathering evidence
A personal injury lawyer will do all they can to gather all the evidence they can muster to support the plaintiff’s claim.
This may include procuring any police or incident report, tracking down witnesses and getting their statements, etc.
They may photograph or have a photographer photograph the incident report.What’s more, they may also retain evidence for the case, such as property damage, camera footage, or other evidence.
Negotiating with the insurance company
Personal injury lawyers review the policy details and determine the maximum level of compensation with insurance companies on the specific case. Also, the personal injury lawyer will most often be the communication link between the plaintiff and the insurance company. This serves to eliminate the chances of the injury victim doing anything that may jeopardise his or her claim.
Sending demand letters
After thoroughly investigating the claim, a personal injury lawyer may send a demand letter to an insurance company.
This demand letter highlights the facts of the accident. It also demands a certain amount of damages for the injury that the defendant caused.
Preparing pleadings
Sometimes the insurance company may refuse to offer a fair settlement, and that’s how a matter ends up in court.
In that case, the personal injury lawyer will have to prepare a complaint against the defendant, setting out legal arguments as to why the defendant is responsible for the accident.
Still, the complaint also stipulates an amount of damages that the client is seeking.
The defendant usually has 30 days from the date of receiving the complaint to prepare an answer to it.
Conducting discovery
The plaintiff’s lawyer may initiate a process to gain certain information from the defendant. This may include sending interrogatories (a written question that is formally put to one party in a case by another party and that must be answered) to the defendant to ask for certain information.
Client representation at trial
Should the case proceed to trial, a personal injury lawyer will provide you with representation in court.
Personal injury lawyers are among the most organised in the legal fraternity and are familiar with court customs and procedures.
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It helps to have a personal injury lawyer by your side if you have been injured in an accident caused by someone else or resulting from negligence.
A lawyer will help you negotiate a good settlement or argue your case out in court for the best outcome.
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