Deciding Whether To File A Personal Injury Claim

The outcome of your personal injury claim, should you decide to file one, will depend on the severity of your injuries and who is assigned liability for the cause of the injuries as a personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL trusts can attest. If the injuries you sustained were not entirely, or even partially covered by the insurance company, you may wish to consider filing a claim. There are a few key things to keep in mind when deciding whether you want to pursue a claim.

Will your insurance or the other party’s insurance company be able to cover the injuries you sustained?

As a personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL drivers rely on can explain, if your injuries are the result of a third party’s negligence, you should determine if that person has an insurance policy that can cover your claim. If you are in an auto accident, it is important to find out if the other driver has insurance. A slip and fall incident requires you to identify the owner of the premises and find out if they have insurance for these types of incidents.

You may be awarded damages by the court, but you must determine beforehand if the defendant can provide compensation at all. When the defendant has no insurance policy and/or few assets, it may be a waste to take them to court, even if you win. You may find that avoiding a claim is in your best interest, especially if your injuries were minor.

However, if your injuries are serious, you may wish to move on regardless.

Is it best to contact an attorney at this time?

It is best to hire an attorney regardless of your certainty about the outcome of the case ahead. A consultation is not the same thing as hiring a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL can count on. You will gain a valuable insight into your unique case and possible legal options, but this will not replace actual legal assistance.

Usually, lawyers will give you a free initial consultation. Personal injury attorneys, like a personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL residents turn to, often work on contingency which means that you will not be required to pay for legal fees if you lose your case. If you do win, the fees are taken out from your settlement. This is usually a portion agreed upon beforehand.

Is a lawsuit necessary to recover damages?

A large majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court. People don’t usually have to resort to a lawsuit. If the third party has insurance, you may simply need to file a third party claim with the company with the proper evidence. There is no guarantee that you will be approved and awarded damages, but this may be all that is required in order to gain a settlement.

Moving Forward

Having a lawyer by your side will help you answer these questions and more regarding your personal injury. If you do decide to move forward with a claim, a lawyer will be extremely beneficial and possibly the difference between a win and a loss. If you are unsure, contact a personal injury attorney, like a personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL counts on, for a consultation at no cost to you. What do you have to lose?