Unexpected accidents can cause debilitating injuries or death, affecting both the victims themselves and their loved ones. The last thing you want to think about in this situation is a legal battle, but holding someone accountable is often an important part of the process.

A personal injury lawyer helps you do just that, so you can focus on healing while your legal interests are taken care of. Personal injury lawyers can handle cases involving:

  • Car Accidents
  • Trips, Slips, & Falls
  • Wrongful Death
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability

So, when the worst happens, what exactly does a personal injury lawyer do?

1. Explains Your Rights

A lawyer is pivotal for understanding your rights and the legalities behind what happened. Police, medical professionals, insurance companies, witnesses, and the other party or parties may all have different ideas about how to proceed and who’s responsible. Especially when dealing with serious injury or death, victims and their families often find it overwhelming trying to navigate this on their own.

Most lawyers offer a free consultation and retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer ensures that you’re not signing away your rights during this vulnerable time in your life. Your attorney will listen to your concerns, explain your rights, and provide invaluable legal advice as you go forward.  Personal injury attorneys are paid on a contingent basis, which means that they get a percentage of what you recover- so you do not have to pay out of your pocket for their services.

2. Investigates & Identifies Negligent Parties

What you may not know is that each personal injury lawyer will also thoroughly investigate, collect, and review all relevant information pertaining to the incident. This may include:

  • Identifying all parties involved
  • Interviewing witnesses
  • Establishing a timeline
  • Collecting photos and videos
  • Creating diagrams or explanatory visuals
  • Collecting medical records and police reports
  • Pinpointing negligent or at-fault parties
  • Assessing all damages

When needed, your lawyer will also retain experts to testify on your behalf. For example, in a medical injury case, the attorney may secure statements and/or testimony from other medical professionals verifying this injury was preventable and the result of malpractice. In a product defect case, the attorney may arrange product testing to demonstrate that the product causes significant harm and is a major liability.

3. Protects Your Interests

Your lawyer will work with insurance agencies, police, medical professionals, and other relevant parties to ensure your best interests are handled every step of the way. They’ll provide legal documentation when needed and negotiate with other parties to ensure you receive the maximum benefit that you’re due. The personal injury lawyer will also represent your interests during arbitration, settlement, or litigation.

Retaining a dedicated and experienced personal injury lawyer is especially important when multiple parties are involved, you’ve faced denied claims in the past, or a settlement has been offered. In these and other special cases, your attorney knows exactly what to do to ensure the negligent party is held accountable, pays you what you’re owed, and thinks twice before endangering someone again.

When Don’t You Need an Attorney?

There are some situations where you don’t need the expert advice of a personal injury lawyer:

  • If no one was hurt and there was no significant damage to your vehicle, you may not have much of a case. However, keep track of any small injuries you have and get checked out by a doctor; what might seem like nothing at first could grow into a chronic or serious injury.

Consulting with an experienced personal injury lawyer is never a bad idea, though, since there may be factors you’re not considering or options you didn’t know you had.

We’re Here to Help With Your Personal Injury Claim

Hoffman, Comfort, Offutt, Scott & Halstad LLP is an established law practice with decades of personal injury claims experience. Our expert attorneys effectively handle the legal maze of personal injury liability so you can focus solely on recovery.

To get in touch or schedule your consultation, call us at your convenience at (410) 848-4444. Let’s get you the restitution you deserve and progress on the path to healing.

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