If you have recently been in an accident, you might be considering claiming personal injury. If you want to successfully file a claim, you will need a personal injury lawyer. However, it’s not always clear what these attorneys do.
Does a personal injury lawyer help? What is in the job description?
A personal injury lawyer does everything from the initial consultation to court representation. Of the many personal injury lawyers with free consultations, most won’t charge you anything until you’ve won the case.
If you’ve been in an accident and need guidance and what to do next, you can find a lawyer and book a consultation to decide your next step.
Table of Contents
Consultation and Hiring
The first part of any personal injury case is consultation. Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations to determine whether they are a match for the client and whether the case is winnable.
If the client and lawyer are a good match and the client has a strong case, the lawyer will accept the case and add it to their workload. This is done based on schedules, availability, and caseload.
Gathering Evidence
With the client’s help, the lawyer will begin gathering evidence. This includes talking to medical professionals, finding witnesses, and taking down the client’s testimony. A lawyer will also investigate the workplace’s safety if the incident is work-related.
To make a case for personal injury, a lawyer must be able to prove two things: that the injuries are sustained and cause long-term damage (physical, mental, or otherwise) and that the accident occurred because of negligence on the part of someone else.
Evidence for both of these is crucial at this point in the case.
Insurance and Healthcare
Part of looking for evidence involves filing claims with healthcare and insurance companies. While most healthcare professionals are looking out for the good of their clients, insurance companies can provide issues and delays during the whole process.
An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to deal with the delays and red tape of an insurance company without missing deadlines or exceeding the statute of limitations. This is one of the biggest responsibilities the lawyer does for you.
Filing Claims and Lawsuits
Once all the evidence is gathered, and the proper documentation is lined up, the lawyer will have another meeting with the client. This meeting will confirm the terms of the lawsuit, including how much compensation the client is requesting and the details of the accident.
Depending on the timeline, this can be anywhere from a few months to two years later.
After this meeting, it’s time to file the lawsuit. The lawyer will file a personal injury claim, prompting a response from the offender. In most cases, a defendant will settle out of court to avoid a lengthy or public lawsuit. However, some cases do end up in the courtroom.
Court Representation
The flashiest part of a personal injury lawyer’s job doesn’t happen as often as you think it might. Although some cases do go to court, it’s not that often. However, when cases are in court, it’s the attorney’s job to call witnesses, defend their client, and represent the case well.
In most cases, personal injury lawyers do not take payment until the case is won. If the case drags on for months or even years, the lawyer will continue doing their job and presenting the necessary evidence. However, most cases end after a few court dates, and the client can move on.
Final Thoughts
A good personal injury lawyer will support you through your claim, from the initial consultation to the final court day. You won’t have to worry about the ins and outs of the legal system, gathering evidence, or having to defend yourself in court. These are all part of a personal injury lawyer’s job description.
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