A personal injury can occur if you’re involved in an accident or incident that wasn’t your fault and caused you physical and/or emotional harm. Bringing a personal injury claim is the formal process of recovering damages as a result of the harm.
The most common claim in a personal injury claim is negligence, typically within a workplace. Each year over a million workers suffer an injury or illness as a result of their work environment.
What is a personal injury lawyer and why would you need one?
Making a compensation claim for personal injury can feel daunting. From all the legal jargon you need to contend with the various time limits, not to mention the expense and time it can take to resolve a claim.
It’s why if you’re planning on launching a case, you have a personal injury lawyer you can trust. Once you’ve instructed a personal injury lawyer, they will start to gather evidence about your case.
They will talk to you about the events leading up to the incident, health issues, collect eye-witness testimonies and speak with independent medical experts. You may also be required to have medical examinations.
A personal injury solicitor is imperative to your case because they’ll have the expertise and knowledge to ensure you get the compensation you need.
Whilst only around 1% of personal injury claims go to court, court proceedings may be started if the defendants don’t accept responsibility or acknowledge fault, and having a solicitor who knows how to start proceedings and negotiate compensation is imperative.
Even if you’ve been involved in an accident due to car issues that weren’t your fault and you were hit by an uninsured driver or the driver was never found, your solicitor may still be able to claim compensation through the Motor Insurance Bureau.
What should you look for in a personal injury lawyer?
When finding a personal injury lawyer you should not only look for ones that are accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), but they should have a track record of experience with your sort of case. Whilst no two cases are ever exactly the same, there are often commonalities.
Alongside qualifications and experience, you should be able to trust your personal injury lawyer. Many cases can last for months, if not years. The average time for small claims to be settled is around 41.8 weeks, so you need to make sure you can see yourself being able to foster a relationship with your lawyer.