What To Do in the Case of a Personal Injury*

Throughout life you might find yourself in a position where you’ve been a victim of a personal injury. A personal injury is the legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions of a person caused by someone else. An injury where no one was at fault is deemed an accident rather than a personal injury. Personal injuries account for a large proportion of insurance claims but sometimes the victim may even sue.

So what should you do in the case of a personal injury?

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Get Advice
Before you proceed with anything, get some advice. Claims Helpline is a great place to start they’ll help you decide if you have a chance at compensation before you start the process.

Ensure Someone Was at Fault
If you put in a claim or go to a lawyer and it turns out that it was an accident or something that was your own fault you’ll find yourself out of pocket and perhaps even feeling a little silly. Look at it from every angle and make sure you have a solid claim before proceeding. You can find information about personal injury cases and how you should proceed with your claim in the following sections. Often if you get into an accident it will be someone else’s fault. There are special lawyers who deal with this such as Denver auto accident lawyers and they’ll be able to guide you through the process.

Get the Documents to Support the Claim
For any case to go forward, you need evidence to back up your claim in the form of documents. Keep an account of the events leading up to the incident, it might not be something that’s at the forefront of your mind but it will help. Conversations you had, doctors appointments, medication you need etc are all important. Keep any documents in regards to expenses such as medical bills. If the police were involved see if you can get ahold of any statements. And take photos of everything from your injuries to where the incident occured.

Find a Good Law Firm to Represent You
Different law firms specialise in different areas of law, for example family, criminal and of course, personal injury. Make sure you find one like Kinney, Fernandez, & Boire P.A. who have a good history with personal injury cases. A lot of places offer a free hours consultation before taking on a case and some even offer no win no fee meaning you will only have to pay if you win your case. Do your research before approaching a firm,

Look Into Your Insurance
This doesn’t personally apply to me, but some of you out there will be insured in case of an accident. Look into your own insurance terms and conditions to see if you’re covered, especially if you’re going to be out of work long term. You might find that your insurance will help bridge you between the accident and your claim coming through meaning you don’t get into debt trying to pay bills and utilities.

Putting in a claim for a personal injury is not a quick process. My dad had an accident at work and it took well over a year for any compensation to come through and that was a cut and dry case. But if you feel that you are entitled after an injury it’s worth looking into.