If you have suffered an injury, you may feel compelled to sue the other party. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help seriously injured accident victims seek compensation from the negligent party and the insurance company.
In addition to recovering damages for tangible things, such as lost wages or medical bills as a result of the accident, filing a personal injury lawsuit achieves the goal of holding the negligent party liable.
Here are four reasons to file a personal injury lawsuit:
1. Covering Medical Expenses
Some personal injuries can lead to multiple doctor appointments, emergency medical treatment costs, or surgeries. If you suffered mental or emotional anguish, counseling, therapy, and other forms of mental healthcare may also be necessary.
Even with insurance, these expenses can mount quickly and be overwhelming even for the most financially stable individuals. Filing a claim for your injury can cover the medical costs caused by the accident. In some cases, personal injury claims can apply to future medical expenses as well.
2. Recovering Other Damages
Sometimes, you may suffer a loss of enjoyment of life or a loss of a relationship due to your accident. For example, if you lose the use of your legs due to a motor vehicle accident, you may want compensation for things you will miss out on in life without being able to use your legs.
3. Avoiding Future Accidents
Perhaps one of the most important reasons to file a personal injury claim is to help avoid future, repeat accidents. If a person was driving recklessly and causes an auto accident, society will want that person held accountable.
Pursuing damages and exposing the person’s fault in the accident will help deter them from engaging in future risky behavior. It can also serve as an example to others.
4. Accountability
Holding the at-fault party responsible is important, but it is equally important to hold accountable your insurance company and that of the negligent party’s. Insurance companies must protect their own rights, which means they will likely try to compensate accident victims with a low settlement offer.
Filing a personal injury claim and seeking legal advice in the process ensures you will have help in fighting for the compensation you deserve according to your losses.
When To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer
There is no set deadline for when to hire a personal injury attorney following an accident. However, it is in your best interest to seek legal advice as soon as possible in order to avoid being without counsel throughout the process.
If you have been in a car accident, you will need to speak to your insurance company to cover medical bills and property damage. Calling a personal injury law firm immediately after being treated for the accident is a good starting point. Personal injury lawyers can help by connecting with the insurance company to ensure your claims are paid.
For certain claims, it is extremely important to take legal steps in a timely manner. Medical malpractice personal injury claims can be extremely lengthy and require that the doctor be notified within a certain amount of time in some states. For these cases, hiring an attorney with years of experience and filing as soon as possible can be crucial to the outcome of your claim.