Personal Injury Lawyer’s help Restore your Peace of Mind
No matter what type of injury you have suffered, the
experience is all too similar – and familiar. While a pain and suffering lawyer
will be there to advocate on your behalf; be there to navigate for your cause
through the legal and insurance bureaucracy; and be there to develop the best
legal strategy, the decisions are
always yours to make. I have been through the process twice – once personally
and once with a close family member – so I understand what you are going
through. I wrote this article to share with you my gained knowledge, so you
don’t make the same mistakes I did.
Put time on your side
Please don’t wait. If you are uncomfortable or intimidated by
the idea of dealing with a legal professional, that is to be expected. My
mother was, but gaining legal counsel took away all of her uncertainty and fear
related to the process.
With minimal research and investigation you can find someone
with whom you are comfortable. Most importantly, there may be critical
time limitations on some of the laws relating to your case – and in some cases
these statutory limits can be shortened. Keep this in mind when considering the
timing of your first call.
Dealing with the insurance company
You deserve restitution for the unfortunate situation you now
find yourself in. When you retain legal counsel, you are in effect protecting
your rights to fair and equitable compensation, so that you can make your life
whole again to the greatest extent possible. Insurance companies are complicated,
for-profit organizations.
Law Firms that have a wealth of experience in pain and
suffering accident cases have the experience and skills that you want on your
side of the phone with insurance administrators and negotiators, since 96%
of civil lawsuits are settled before going to trial. First-rate lawyers are
experienced in the courtroom and at the negotiation table. Be sure your
representation has a wealth of experience in both venues.
Protecting a family member (or friend) after a catastrophic injury
Whether it was a motor vehicle or bicycle accident, slip and
fall, work related or any other cause – the best thing you can do for a loved
one is to ensure they are cared for and protected. I suggest you assemble a
team around you and your loved one: health and wellness, support for the
family, financial and administrative, and legal representation.
Balance the responsibilities among your support team, and
where possible, hire professionals. To protect your loved one with legal
representation, an enquiry over the phone is not considered acting on their
behalf, if that responsibility has not yet been granted.
Qualifying for compensation when the original incident was some time
ago
Every situation is unique. Mine was likely quite different
from yours, but the same rule of thumb applies: it’s never too late to educate
yourself on the options. I made the mistake of waiting to retain proper
counsel, but in the end it worked out favourably. If I were to do it over again,
my second phone call would have been to the firm I eventually retained.
The key learning from the experience? Assemble a support
team early, and where possible, hire professionals with whom you are
comfortable.