FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PERSONAL INJURY
Q. WHAT IS A PERSONAL INJURY?
A. A personal injury is one where you and/or your loved ones have suffered physical and/or mental injury as a result of a wrongful act by another person or institution.
Q. WHAT IF I AM IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT?
A. If the other driver was at fault, you may be entitled to compensation. You may be entitled to damages such as those for physical injuries, pain and suffering, car damage, lost wages, costs of care after the accident and other expenses.
Q. SHOULD I SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IF I AM NOT SURE THAT I AM HURT?
A. It is always a good idea to get a medical checkup after an accident. It is possible that you may have injuries which you are not yet aware of at the time of the accident.
Q. WHO SHOULD I CONTACT AFTER AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT?
A. You should make a claim with the other driver's insurance company and notify your insurance company of the accident. You should be aware that the job of an insurance company is to give you as little money as possible. There are also strict time limits for filing a lawsuit if you cannot get the issues resolved with the insurance company.
You should seek legal counsel and advice immediately after the accident so that you do not miss any filing deadlines. If your time to sue expires before you file a lawsuit, you will never be able to recover for any injuries.
Q. WHAT IF THE OTHER DRIVER DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE?
A. If the other driver caused the accident and is not insured, you own policy may pay for your personal injuries if you have "uninsured motorist" or "medical payments" coverage. If you have collision insurance, it may pay for damage to your car. It is important that you know your policy and your rights under that policy.
Q. SHOULD I GIVE A STATEMENT TO THE OTHER INSURANCE COMPANY?
A. No, what you say to an insurance company can and will be used for their defense. By giving a statement without the benefit of a lawyer present, you are giving them a free shot to deny your claim. Seek legal counsel immediately and let your lawyer do what lawyers do best: "fight for your rights".
ABOUT GETTING LEGAL HELP FOR INJURIES
If you are injuried in an accident, you should seek legal advice on your rights. Get a lawyer. There are deadlines for filing a lawsuit where you ask for compensation for your injuries. My initial consultation is free.
You will need to provide information on the date of the accident, the location of the accident, who was involved, and the facts of the accident. If after review and investigation of the facts, I accept your case, my fee comes from a percentage of your recovery. Other litigation expenses may be required to be paid by you prior to any recovery.
HOW DO YOU PAY ATTORNEY FEES?
Attorney fees payments are discussed between the client and the attorney should you decide to hire an attorney. In many types of cases, such as a personal injury lawsuit, a contingency fee contract is agreed to between the client and his attorney. A contingeny fee is where the attorney takes a percentage of the actual money that was recovered for you either in settlement or by award of damages at trial. This provides a means for people to get lawyers without having to pay by the hour, which can add up to thousands of dollars. This provides access to the courts when it might otherwise be cost prohibitive. Again, other costs which are not payments to the lawyers, but to others may be required to be paid by you prior to any recovery.