How Much Is Your Personal Injury Claim
Worth?
It can be tough to set a dollar amount on injuries you
suffer in an accident. There are so many things to consider:
doctor's bills, time lost from work, medical costs for ongoing
injuries, pain and suffering, and so on. Insurance companies
take all of them into account when deciding how much to offer
-- and ultimately pay out -- for a personal injury claim.
When You Need a Lawyer to Handle Your Personal Injury
Claim
A few types of injuries and
accidents almost always require that you consult a
lawyer.
Sometimes, the skills of an experienced personal injury
lawyer -- or at least the threat to an insurance company that
such a lawyer may present -- are worth the money you must pay
that lawyer to represent you. You may need a lawyer because of
complex legal rules involved in your particular claim, or
because the severity of your injuries -- or simply because an
insurance company refuses to settle a matter in good faith.
The following types of injuries and accidents almost certainly
require a lawyer's help.
Long-Term or Permanently Disabling Injuries
Some accidents result in injuries that significantly affect
your physical capabilities or appearance for a long time --
over a year -- or even permanently. Figuring out how much such
a serious injury is worth can be a difficult business. You'll
probably require some assistance from an experienced lawyer to
get the most out of your claim.
Severe Injuries
The amount of your accident compensation is mostly
determined by how severe your injuries were. And the severity
of your injuries is measured by the amount of your medical
bills, the type of injuries you have, and the length of time
it takes for you to recover. As the amount of your potential
compensation increases, the range within which that
compensation may fall becomes wider. In such cases, it may be
worth the expense to have a lawyer handle your claim and make
sure you receive compensation at the highest end of the
range.
Medical Malpractice
If you have suffered an injury or illness due to careless,
unprofessional, or incompetent treatment at the hands of a
doctor, nurse, hospital, clinic, laboratory, or other medical
provider, both the medical questions and the legal rules
involved are complex. They almost certainly require that you
hire a lawyer experienced in medical malpractice cases.
Toxic Exposure
In the increasingly chemical world, we sometimes become ill
because of exposure to contaminants in the air, soil, or
water, in products, or in food. Claims based on such exposure
are difficult to prove, however, and often require complex
scientific data. And because the chemical and other industries
have erected a huge wall to protect themselves from legal
exposure while they continue to expose us to potentially
harmful chemicals, the required evidence is very hard to come
by. Get expert help.
When an Insurance Company Refuses to be Fair
In some instances, regardless of the nature of your injury
or the amount of your medical bills and lost income, you will
want to hire a lawyer because an insurance company simply
refuses to make a fair settlement offer at all. In these
cases, a lawyer can be
helpful.
| 