Thursday, February 6, 2020

Personal Injury Claims FAQs


An accident that results in injury, whether you’ve been hurt at work or in a car accident, can be very distressing. You may be managing pain, emotional stress, medical expenses, and a loss of earnings. If you’re struggling after an accident, you might have a personal injury claim to help you get back on your feet. If you’re not sure, follow this guide to help make the right choice. 


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What do I do after an accident?
If you’ve had any kind of accident that resulted in injury, whether you’ve had a car accident or have been injured while doing your job, the most important thing to do is to seek proper medical attention. If you are able to stay at the site of the accident, take plenty of pictures of the scene and take contact details from anyone who witnessed the incident. Do not apologize or say anything that could be seen as admitting fault. This could come back to bite you later. Instead, contact a personal injury attorney to help you decide what to do next. 

How do I know if I have a case?
If you aren’t sure, reach out to a specialist like Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC to arrange a consultation. During this consultation, an attorney can help you to decide if you do have a case, offer advice on who should be sued and manage your expectations of what you might recover. In simple terms, you should have a case if somebody acted in a careless way that caused your injuries. 

Do I have a case if I didn’t feel immediately hurt?
A traumatic incident like an accident will send a rush of adrenalin through the body. This can reduce the sensation of pain, so you may not feel like you have been hurt while you are at the scene. When the adrenalin wears off, you may then find you have a lot more pain than you thought, or you may develop other symptoms, such as emotional trauma. See your doctor, regardless of how seriously you think you were hurt, just in case. 

How long do I have to file a personal injury case?
The statute of limitations will vary from state to state, so check the rules in your area to make sure you don’t miss your chance. In some states, you will have a year to file a case, whereas in others, you may have as long as four years. In general, the best time to file is as soon as you can, while the evidence and the memories of everyone involved are at their freshest. 

What do I do if the other party’s insurance adjuster contacts me?
If an insurance adjuster for the other party involved in the incident attempts to contact you, do not agree to speak to them. These contact attempts are designed to try to coax you into admitting fault or saying something that will reduce the liability of the person they insure. Instead, refuse to speak to them yourself, and instead insist they contact your attorney or your insurance company. Never answer any questions and don’t respond to any further contact attempts.