Top-Rated Personal Injury Lawyers in the U.S.

You do not have to seek medical treatment after a car accident or other incident that leads to personal injury. It’s your right to choose whether you want or need medical care. However, you should know that some people do not feel the effects of their injuries until days or weeks after the accident occurs.

This is because pain and suffering may be masked by the adrenaline you experience. If you plan to pursue compensation through a personal injury lawsuit or claim, you will need to show that you have visited the doctor at some point. This can be in the form of medical receipts and your medical history, and more.

The longer you wait to visit the doctor after the accident, the more doubt the opposing party’s lawyer can cast about whether your injuries were caused by the accident. You can speak to a personal injury attorney to learn more about why it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible when filing an injury claim.

You may still be able to file a claim for damages if you didn’t visit the doctor after an auto accident or other incident. As stated above, you may need documentation to prove your injuries were caused by the accident, though.

For this reason, one of the first questions an attorney may ask is whether you have been to your physician. If the answer is ‘no,’ they may send you first to the doctor to get that documentation on file as soon as possible.

Should your claim turn into a personal injury lawsuit, your lawyer may bring in expert witnesses who can explain how your injuries were caused or could have been prevented. Trial lawyers have experience in handling injury cases and know the best steps to take to reach the most favorable outcome.

Personal injuries result from a range of preventable or unintentional accidents. Just some of these include truck accidents, dog bites or other animal attacks, drownings, fire and arson, and more.

Different types of personal injury lead to different types of claims. You may slip and fall on uneven flooring without a posted disclaimer, resulting in a premises liability claim against the property owner. Or, you may be struck by careless motorists while driving. You can file a personal injury claim if you are injured at the fault of another.

You are not required to have legal representation to file a personal injury claim. Yet working with a lawyer for your case can offer you a number of benefits. A lawyer knows the laws that apply to your case, such as the statute of limitations, or how long you have to file your claim.

They can explain the laws in layman’s terms and offer legal advice. An attorney can also compare your case against past cases in similar practice areas to offer you an educated estimate for the compensation you may be able to collect. Further, if your case goes to trial, experienced trial attorneys can explain the possible outcomes (verdicts) so you are well-prepared.

Every personal injury case comes with a statute of limitations or a time limit by which to file your claim. The statute begins on the day your accident occurs or from the date you discover your injuries. Most states offer a two- or three-year statute of limitations for all personal injury claims. The statute in San Diego, California, for instance, is two years, according to the Judicial Branch of California.

Your personal injury attorney can help you determine when your statute begins and if you still qualify to file a claim. Connect with a trusted law firm through LegalFinders to learn about your legal rights today.

The first and most beneficial step you may take toward filing your claim is to contact a personal injury lawyer. The lawyer can make the rest of the claim-filing process as easy and effective as possible. Steps to take to begin your personal injury case:

1. Reach out to LegalFinders to be matched with the right attorney for your case.
2. Gather important documentation, like medical bills, records, photos from the scene of the accident, insurance information, and more.
3. Take advantage of a free case evaluation to examine the details of your claim.
4. The lawyer will review your case to determine the damages, such as the scope of your medical bills or extent of property damage
5. Receive a no-cost estimate for the amount of damages you may be able to pursue during your case.
6. Work with an attorney to contact insurance companies and the opposing party, and to make a claim for your personal injury.

The best way to know whether you have a case to seek compensation for your injuries is to consult a law firm and receive a free consultation. Once you do, you can be connected to a trusted attorney who will work hard to first establish a strong attorney-client relationship. Then, they will perform a full evaluation of all accident-related details and let you know where you stand. Remember, if you were injured at all in a preventable accident, you may have a case.

Fault in any personal injury case is subjective. In other words, it is evaluated differently in each state and for each case, and is typically quantified in percentages. For example, say you were determined to be 20% at fault in an auto accident and the opposing driver was 80% at fault.

In this case, their insurance company would have to pay you the agreed-upon settlement amount less 20% to account for your level of fault. In other words, you may still have a case and you may still be able to collect compensation even if you were partly at fault for an accident. Also, no-fault states allow injured persons to each file claims with their own insurance companies, regardless of fault.