Experiencing an accident that results in injury can feel scary. The aftermath can quickly become overwhelmingly stressful as you seek medical treatment and make arrangements to repair damages. While you may feel tempted to handle it all on your own, this isn’t always the best course of action. Consulting with the team at Goodin Abernathy can provide valuable insight that you wouldn’t otherwise have knowledge of. If you see one or more of these signs, you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you in your claim.
1. Suffered Significant Injuries
Personal injury claims encompass a wide range of claims, from vehicle accidents to medical malpractice, dog bites, and slip and fall. Accidents that result in minor injuries can be simpler to seek recovery for. Submit a medical bill, and the insurance company pays for it. Things become more complicated when the injuries are more severe and extensive. Injuries extend beyond the physical and result in more significant injuries. A personal injury attorney can help their client pursue all possible avenues for maximum recovery.
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental suffering
- Out of pocket expenses
2. Permanent Disability
An injury requiring years of recovery or a lifetime disability will also bring high medical costs. The insurance company may only cover care for a certain period of time or up to a specific dollar amount. The financial strain can be unbearable when the injury renders someone unable to work. The injured party should never have to cover disability costs out of pocket. A personal injury attorney can help an injured victim understand the whole scope of the current and future costs of the disability. They will then work with the insurance company to secure the compensation that covers the injured party’s disability costs.
3. Insurance Doesn’t Cover the Injuries and Damages
About 43% of working-age adults do not have adequate insurance. Unfortunately, insurance is one of the biggest challenges when pursuing a personal injury case. Minor injuries may not be an issue. These small injuries most likely won’t max out the limit. However, severe and extensive injuries can quickly create medical treatment costs that surpass an insurance policy’s limits. To further complicate recovery, insurance policies have complicated and detailed terms. This can make it difficult to secure recovery from the at-fault party’s insurance company.
After submitting a claim to the insurance company, it will likely offer a settlement amount. The insurance company is a business that wants to keep costs down. Because of this, the settlement offer will likely be low. If this settlement offer doesn’t cover the cost of treatment, consider consulting with a personal injury attorney. These are lawyers who represent injured clients every day who need assistance negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. An experienced personal injury attorney knows how insurance companies work and the tricks used to negotiate a lower settlement payout. In addition, the attorney has more knowledge about typical settlement amounts and long-term care treatment costs awarded.
4. Liability Isn’t Clear
Sometimes, liability is clear-cut. One party is clearly at fault for the accident and subsequent injuries. This makes it simpler to pursue compensation for damages from the at-fault party. Unfortunately, life isn’t always this simple. When liability isn’t clear-cut, it is up to the parties to gather and present liability evidence. Some personal injury cases only involve two parties. More complicated cases could involve multiple parties, all of who want to push liability to another party. For example, a truck accident could have multiple liable parties, including the passenger vehicle driver, truck driver, truck owner, truck maintenance company, cargo owner, or truck manufacturer. Convincing evidence is crucial for ensuring the liable party is held accountable.
Before an injured party can make a claim for the compensation of damages, they must provide liability. Time is of the essence when it comes to collecting evidence. It becomes more difficult to gather the necessary documentation to prove liability as time goes by. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer can provide much-needed guidance for the evidence-gathering process. A lawyer can advise on what type of evidence to gather that will most effectively prove liability.
5. Not Receiving Lost Wages
If an injury prevents someone from working, this creates additional stress. Medical treatment, assistance care, and rehabilitative costs rise while the injured individual is unable to work. In addition, 63% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. They need to work to generate enough income to pay for living expenses, let alone the additional injury costs. Depending on the severity of the injury, someone could be out of work for weeks, months, or even years.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation may be an option if the injury occurred while at work. A successful claim could grant the injured individual two-thirds of wages plus medical care coverage. In addition, there could be additional compensation awarded if the complete function of the injured body part is lost. This is dependent on the body part injured and the functionality lost.
Personal Injury
If the injury results from someone else’s actions, there may be a personal injury claim. The at-fault party’s insurance would cover the lost wages for these situations. These are typically negotiated as a part of the personal injury claim settlement process. The case goes to trial if a settlement agreement cannot be reached. Lost wages are not something that people living paycheck to paycheck can compromise on. A personal injury attorney with experience understands this and will advocate for the maximum possible award.
Consult With a Personal Injury Lawyer
You don’t have to face injury and compensation recovery on your own. Personal injury law is a broad term that covers a wide range of injuries and possible avenues for recovery. Working with a compassionate personal injury lawyer means you are not alone. The lawyers at Goodin Abernathy will put your mind at ease as they use their knowledge of the law to advocate on your behalf. Their compassion for their clients encourages their approach to aggressive representation to ensure compensation that covers the full extent of damages.
Schedule a consultation to speak with a personal injury lawyer today and learn about your recovery options.