Personal injury claims are those in which someone is hurt due to the negligence or actions of someone else. Generally, the injured party files a claim with their insurance company, who then goes after the responsible party's insurance for payment. This is, of course, after the fault has been established. While the whole process should seem like a pretty simple thing, it can actually become quite entangled. To better help you maneuver through a personal injury claim, you should hire a personal injury attorney. Here is some information to help you get on the right track.
Insurance Settlements
When you first file a claim, the insurance company is going to offer you a settlement. It is important to understand that you should never just accept this first offer. While it might seem like a tidy sum of money, odds are it is not going to be enough to compensate you for all you have lost. You will probably require further medical help, which will lead to more bills. In addition, the insurance company may not have taken into consideration all the money you have lost and will continue to miss out on due to not being able to work. This could be needing to take time off to go to more medical appointments. A personal injury attorney will go over all details of the case, talk with your doctors, and determine how much medical help and lost work is going to happen because of the injury.
Legal Expenses
Of course, hiring a lawyer is going to cost money. However, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. They do not charge anything until the case has been settled. In addition, they charge a percentage of the settlement. In most cases, the lawyer will ensure that the settlement includes extra money to pay their fees. This way, you are not out any money yourself.
Financial Problems
If you are not working and the case has not been settled, your living expenses can start to accumulate. A good attorney will be able to talk with your creditors and explain the situation. Most people will understand what is going on and will be willing to work with you on what you owe until you have the money to pay them.
You do not need to try to get through a personal injury case alone. While it is true your insurance company will work with you to help you receive compensation, they are not going to work as hard or make sure you receive all that you should, whereas a personal injury attorney will.
