When you are injured in an accident it can make your life a living hell and turn everything upside down. Not only can you suffer from grave injuries, but your financial loss could be serious. Your medical treatment may be expensive, you may need some time off work and your day-to-day activities may be limited. If you are curious what possible sources of compensation are available please continue reading. You deserve full compensation after your accident, and we are here to discuss it.
Compensation After an Accident or Injury When You are Not to Blame
There are three usual ways to accomplish your goals:
Check Your Insurance Policies
Be sure to check if your policies include “legal expenses insurance”. This can apply to travel, home, motor, holiday insurance, etc. It’s also very useful if you are covered as a member of some organization or a trade union. But be careful that policies do not always cover all types of problems, so be sure to read the conditions.
If you are not insured there is always hope. With a help of a solicitor, you can try getting an “after-the-event” insurance policy. It could help with a large legal bill and you may be able to get some money from the party responsible for the accident.
Write a Letter, Try Mediation or Make a Complaint
Taking legal action can be very expensive and you may not win against the person or organization that harmed you. But don’t worry! There are other ways to deal with this problem such as:
- Mediation
You can use a mediation service to negotiate the settlement. It is a process where an impartial person helps people to resolve their problems. The goal is to find a solution acceptable to everybody. If you come to an agreement during the moderation process you will sign a document like any other contract, which is binding. It is cheaper and quicker than going to court and that is the reason so many people make this choice.
- Making a Complaint
Sometimes people are able to solve the issue just by writing a letter especially if the injury is not that serious. You should explain what they can do for you, how to compensate for your injury, and how to make up for it.
Hire a Lawyer
Personal injury lawyers help people who have been injured as a result of an intentional act or negligence of another person, group of people, or organization.
A personal injury lawyer can attempt to negotiate a settlement or if the settlement fails he may file a lawsuit in which one party may sue another one for money or property.
Here are some examples of practice areas of a personal injury lawyer so if you are curious, please read more about it. Sometimes the term “trial lawyers” refers to personal injury lawyers, but be aware that most of the personal injury claims will be settled without trial. It is useful to know that many lawyers further specialize in some area of personal injury, so you may find the best lawyer for your specific situation, for example, medical malpractice law. By limiting themselves to a specific area they improve their experience and knowledge.
Practice Areas of Personal Injury Lawyers
- Personal injury
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Slip & Fall
- Dog bites
- Business interruption claims
- Defective product
- Nursing home abuse
- Traffic collisions
- Workplace injuries
- Professional malpractice
When accepting a new case, the first step for a personal injury lawyer is to interview a client and to evaluate the case and possible legal claims that could be made. By evaluating the strength of the case he may accept or refuse the client if he estimates the claim won’t be successful in court.
Personal injury lawyer’s fee may be charged in a few ways:
- Contingency fees (sometimes also called an “if-come” fees)
- Flat fees
- Hourly rates
The most common one is the Contingency fee which means the lawyer receives some percentage of the recovery only if a claim is successful.
The fee can also vary in case of:
- Settlement before a lawsuit is filed
- Settlement after a lawsuit is filed but before trial
- Going to trial
What Types of Compensation Can You Receive?
An accident claim usually involves these four types of compensations:
Medical Expenses
It refers to all payments related to the accident, including therapy, medications, physical therapy, hospital stay, etc.
Lost Income
You can sue for the time you were unable to work, but also for the loss of future incomes if you have some serious injury.
Pain and Suffering
You could also claim compensation for all the physical or psychological pain you suffered because of the accident.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are also called exemplary damages. They are applicable whenever it is important to punish some outrageous behavior, and use that punishment for the rehabilitation of the defendant or others that may be engaging in similar activities. A good example is drunk driving.
All types of accidents can cause so much physical damage, emotional suffering, financial burden, and stress so it is very important to know your rights in those kinds of situations. It’s comforting to know there are people and laws that can help you after that stressful experience.