Top Two FAQs about Accident Law
If you are thinking about hiring an accident lawyer but you are full of confusion, you are not alone. Nearly everyone who plans to work with an accident lawyer feels the same way because injury law can be a quite complex topic. Fortunately, the biggest questions that an injured person might have can usually be answered quite concisely and quickly. Here are the top two FAQs about personal injury cases.
Is an Accident Lawyer Needed in Your Case?
Naturally, this depends on the specific situation, but there are several circumstances that truly call for the help of an accident attorney, asap. These include:
- Vehicle Accident in Which You Weren't At Fault: If you were hurt in a car accident that you were not responsible for (or even if you were responsible in small part,) you will need an accident attorney's help. To recover the money needed to pay your damages, you'll have to deal with the responsible party's insurance, and this is more effectively done by an aggressive attorney.
- Physical Injury on Another Party's Property: If you suffered an injury on another person's property or on property belonging to a business, you need an accident attorney to help you file a claim. This can be a difficult situation to navigate. While the other party is almost certainly responsible for the injury, either due to their actions or to their negligence, you may have a hard time proving that. Your attorney can pursue evidence to support your claim and negotiate to get a fair settlement.
- Injury or Death Due to Medical Caregiver's Actions: If you were injured due to the actions, or the negligence, of a medical caregiver, your accident lawyer may be able to create a strong case based on medical malpractice. If you lost a loved one due to medical error, you can work with an accident lawyer to receive compensation for that loss. Other cases involving medical caregiver error may involve nursing home abuse or mistreatment by hospital employees. This type of case is extremely involved and will require considerable supporting evidence. Your accident attorney can acquire the evidence and begin aggressive negotiations with the caregiver's insurers immediately.
How Much is Your Case Worth?
This is a question that every person with an accident case asks, but the answer varies quite a bit. In many cases, you can expect to be compensated for not only your medical bills and time missed from work, but also for pain and suffering. Pain and suffering awards can include monetary compensation for not only the physical pain that you suffered due to your injury, but also for any emotional pain you suffered.
While pain and suffering awards can vary dramatically, the insurance company or the jury awarding the settlement may base the figure upon a multiplier. This multiplier may be anywhere from 1.5 to 4 times the amount of the total damages. You can then add that amount to your other damages to get a rough total of what the case could be worth.
While you can take a guess about your case based on the FAQs above, it is always best to get your case evaluated by a professional. If you are dealing with an injury or death, call a local accident lawyer for a complimentary consultation as soon as possible.