Have you been in an accident that left you injured? If so, you may be wondering if you should hire an attorney to help you seek compensation for your injury. Not all personal injury cases necessitate having legal representation. However, if you have been injured in an accident, you must consult with a reliable personal injury lawyer who has a record of success in car accident cases immediately.
A minor accident can become complicated later. If an accident takes place, you may experience initial shock and confusion. The injuries you may sustain may not present immediate symptoms. But once these injuries show up, they can cause serious pain and more complications. If your injuries are serious and lead to emergency medical care, hospital stays, and unemployment, you need to hire a skilled injury attorney. You need an attorney to know your rights to compensation. Ensure you hire a lawyer who has extensive experience handling the type of accident you were involved in.
Proving Liability
In personal injury claims against a negligent party, you must establish elements of negligence to prove their liability. You should prove that the other party owed you a duty of care, that they breached this duty of care, that this breach caused the accident, and that the accident led to compensable damages. These damages include physical injury, mental anguish, pain, lost wages, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, and others.
Securing Maximum Compensation
To get the maximum compensation you are entitled to, you must give your attorney all important details and pieces of evidence. These include the accident report, medical records, eyewitness statements, photos of the accident, and surveillance footage. Also, you must present evidence that provides your economic damages. This evidence includes hospital bills, expert testimony, and documents that show your lost wages. Your doctors and attorney must communicate effectively to make sure they possess the necessary medical information regarding injury cases that can be used to determine your settlement.
What If You Were Partly to Blame for the Accident?
Under the state’s modified comparative fault rule, the total amount of compensation you can secure will be decreased by your percentage of fault for the accident. For instance, if you have $20, 000 total recovery and are found to be 25% at fault for the accident, your final recovery is $15, 000. But you can only get compensation if your percentage of fault is less than 50 percent.