The moments after an injury or accident are confusing and overwhelming. You may not know what to do after you or the person you love suffers injury due to someone’s wrongdoing or negligence.
So, what do you expect in a typical personal injury claim, and how long does it take? Well, read through this article for a basic understanding of the timelines in a personal injury claim case. It’s also worth noting that several personal injury claims settle before filing a lawsuit in court. Therefore, your case might not go through all the stages discussed here: the claim can be settled at any point on the timeline.
Here’s what to do after suffering injuries.
- Seek Medical Treatment
It’s the first step in your personal injury claim. Make an appointment with your doctor immediately you suspect or notice that you are hurt.
Seeing a doctor is the right thing to do after an accident. But that’s not all, it also increases your chances of getting compensation from the insurer. If you don’t seek medical treatment, the insurance company and the jury in court will think your injuries are not that serious which may work to your disadvantage.
Remember, some injuries especially on your brain or soft issues takes weeks or months to show symptoms. A doctor has the skills and knowledge to identify these injuries and offer the best treatment.
- Consult Your Personal Injury Attorney
After getting the necessary medical attention, contact your Atlanta personal injury attorney. Give the lawyer an in-depth analysis of what transpired before the injury.
The attorney will rely on this information to determine whether you have a valid legal claim or not. They’ll also work to ensure you get fair compensation from the relevant insurance agencies.
Even better, the cost of any lawsuit emanating from this process shouldn’t be a bother to you. Most personal injury lawyers work on a ‘contingency basis, meaning you’ll only pay them after getting the compensation. As such, if you lose the case, then you don’t incur any cost to pay your attorney.
- Gather Evidence
The first task of your personal injury lawyer is to gather enough and accurate evidence. That’s the only way to tilt the compensation claim in your favor.
But how do they do this?
The lawyer will start by interviewing you. They want to know everything relating to the accident, injuries, and medical records. Be sure to give the correct and detailed answers to all the questions.
With this information, the attorney will collect your medical records and bills emanating from your treatment process. The process may take months to complete.
- Make Compensation Demands
Many personal injury settlements are made before a case gets to court. Here the lawyer makes compensation demands to the insurance company for payment.
A good lawyer will not be in a hurry to make this demand. Instead, they should wait for your medical situation has improved and you’ve made the necessary recovery. Otherwise, how will they know the amount to seek in the compensation?
Seeking compensation before the plaintiff fully recovers results in undervaluation of your case. You don’t want this to happen.
- File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If settlement talks collapse, the case progresses to the trial phase. It’s worth noting that personal injury claims are subject to the statute of limitations. As such, the case must be filed within strict time limits.
Your lawyer should have all the necessary evidence to prosecute your case. Such include your medical records and reports on how the injury has affected your life.
Conclusion
Personal injuries are devastating. Depending on the nature of the injury, it may be impossible to get back to normal. However, following these steps can save a substantial amount of time and effort when pursuing your legal right to fair compensation.
