If you are considering making a personal injury claim, it is likely you will have some questions. This may be the first time you have ever dealt with a personal injury lawyer, never mind going through the claims process.
However, there are some fundamental things you should be aware of before making a claim that will help you along the way, and make the process much more straightforward. In this article we outline the three most important things to know before you think about making a personal injury claim. If you still need some tips after reading this, check with this Nevada workers comp attorney.
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There are strict time limits
According to an auto accident attorney, if you have suffered an injury as a result of someone else’s actions such as an automobile accident, there are strict time limits for bringing a claim. Generally, you have three years from the date of the accident, or discovery of your injury to bring a claim.
Whilst this seems like a reasonable amount of time, given the complexity of some personal injury cases, it may take longer than expected to bring your claim for a number of reasons.
Even if you believe your claim is straightforward, only once a specialist solicitor looks at your case, and begins making your claim, will any unforeseen issues come to the surface. It is for this reason that you should seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident or injury.
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Not all lawyers are personal injury specialists
If you have never dealt with personal injury lawyers before, you might not know very much about how to choose a solicitor to instruct. It is important to know that whilst some solicitors specialise in personal injury cases, many offer personal injury services as alongside many other personal law services such as family and employment law.
But why does this matter? When you instruct a dedicated personal injury specialist, you are giving you case the best chance of success Only a specialist personal injury lawyer can help you claim the maximum amount of compensation owed to you, and understand all of the complexities of your case.
Instructing an expert personal injury lawyer is particularly important if your injury is very serious, or where your case is particularly complex. Having a specialist on your side can make all the difference to how much compensation you receive, and how quickly your case is brought to resolution.
It’s also worth noting that there are many specific types of personal injury claims you can make and some personal injury solicitors may well specialise only in one or a handful of such areas, including but not limited to the following:-
- Accidents at Work
- Road Traffic Accidents (RTA)
- Head & Brain Injury Claims
- Mesothelioma Claims
- Holiday Illness Claims
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How much you might be able to claim
This is likely to be your first and hopefully only personal injury claim, so it can be difficult to know what to expect. Settlement amounts can vary greatly depending on the type of injury, the severity of the injury, and any financial loss incurred as a result.
Personal injury compensation is set by the JSB guidelines, which give an estimate of how much each injury is likely to attract in a compensation award. When you contact a solicitor they will be able to advise you of how much you could claim, and also what you may be able to claim by clicking here. This can include things such as loss of earnings, medical and care costs and any other financial loss.
Note that personal injury claim average amounts and laws are different in Scotland, England & Wales and in other countries such as the US – see this guide from Rosengard Law Group as an example of considerations with US accident claims.
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