If you, or a member of your family, have sustained injuries because of the negligence of someone else, you need to understand your legal rights and interests. You need to know what steps you must take to protect those legal interests.
The reality is that pursuing a claim for justice and compensation in a personal injury case can be a challenging endeavor. Personal injury attorneys can help if you have sustained serious injuries in an accident.
Your Right to Just Compensation After an Accident
A key right that you possess in the aftermath of an accident is to obtain fair, just compensation for your injuries, damages, and losses. The nature and extent of compensation to which you might be entitled in a personal injury case depends upon the facts and circumstances of the underlying accident and the injuries you or a family member sustained.
With that understood, the losses for which compensation oftentimes is sought include medical bills and expenses and lost wages. In addition, losses for which compensation is sought can also include pain and suffering as well as emotional distress and mental anguish.
There are instances in which you might have the ability to seek what are known as punitive or exemplary damages in your case, or in the case involving one of your family members. Punitive or exemplary damages can be sought if the conduct of the party that caused an accident is considered to be particularly egregious or reckless. In addition to providing additional compensation in your case, punitive damages are also designed to punish the party that caused an accident for particularly egregious or reckless conduct.
Your Right to a Fair Settlement of Your Insurance Claim
In the aftermath of an accident involving your family, you may have some significant misconceptions about the insurance claims settlement process. You are not alone. Many individuals believe that the insurance claims settlement process will be a relatively easy endeavor, with an insurance company interested in ensuring that you obtain appropriate compensation for your injuries.
You do have the legal right to pursue a fair, just settlement of your claim. However, time and again, injured people do not obtain a suitable settlement of their insurance claims. Oftentimes, the failure to obtain a fair claim settlement is what propels an injury case to court.
You need to keep in mind that an insurance company is in business for one primary reason. An insurance company is in business to make money for its stockholders. The stark reality is that an insurance company increases its profits by lowering the amount of money paid out in claim settlements.
Insurance companies utilize a variety of strategies that are designed to frustrate an injured person’s ability to obtain a fair and full settlement of a claim for injuries, damages, and losses. The manner in which insurance companies deal with claims in so many cases underscores the necessity for taking a proactive stance in retaining legal representation in the aftermath of an accident.
Retain a Skilled, Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
You have the right to obtain legal representation in a personal injury case. The first step in hiring a lawyer is scheduling an initial consultation.
During an initial consultation, a personal injury attorney will provide an evaluation of your case. You will be further advised of your rights in the aftermath of an accident. You will also obtain answers to questions you may have about your case. As matter of practice, a personal injury attorney typically does not charge a fee for an initial consultation.
Lynne B says
You’re right that I never considered what might be involved in a personal injury case. Thanks for the post!
vickie couturier says
whaat good advice,,good information thanks for posting