Most people never have a personal injury claim, so if you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, it’s okay if you have questions. You are not alone.
You must follows these 9 crucial tips whether you hire a lawyer or not:
✶ Get all the information you can at the scene when you’re hurt: phone numbers, photos, contact information if the police are called, license plate numbers if it’s a car accident
✶ If you’re hurt, get treatment immediately; waiting can be bad for your claim, and worse for your health
✶ Throughout the process, your health should be your number one priority, not your claim
✶ Consult a lawyer immediately, whether you hire one or not: information is your best asset
✶ Be careful with dealing with insurance adjusters: they are NOT on your side and are not required to negotiate in good faith
✶ Use your health insurance to pay for any treatment you get, but be aware you may have to pay something back to them at the end
✶ There can be income tax consequences from personal injury settlements and verdicts in some limited circumstances: consult a lawyer BEFORE you resolve the case
✶ There are time limitations on your claim: if you miss the deadline, your case is completely over, whether you recover anything or not
✶ Keep a personal file will all paperwork, copies of bills, names of doctors and clinics, anything that relates to the claim: you have to PROVE what happened and what’s related
Not every case needs a lawyer, but everyone needs facts and needs to understand their rights. Our firm is not a volume practice: unlike a lot of bigger firms, we don’t take every case that comes to us. We turn down a lot of cases, but if we can’t help, or we don’t think you need our representation, we’ll still give you the information you need to handle the case yourself.
Contact us today by clicking here or calling us at 919-438-4361.
