Humans are prone to accidents; anything can happen suddenly and alter one’s usual way of life. These accidents include tripping and falling on a wet floor, being hit by a vehicle, or being involved in a car accident, among other incidents.
The accidents may leave with some effects like broken body parts and concussions. This may leave you with hefty hospital bills, and it is worse if the negligence of others causes your injuries. If this is the case for you, you have a personal injury claim to take care of.
Here are nine steps to take after a personal injury accident and finally get the settlement you need.
Seek Medical Attention
After getting injured, the first thing to do is get the necessary medical treatment. It is essential to ensure that you are physically okay to proceed with the other personal injury claim measures. Even if you feel perfectly fine, you should still visit a medical expert to ascertain that and check for any internal injuries. Immediate medical records do not only guarantee good health for you but will also act as evidence when claiming insurance or in case of a lawsuit.
Organize Your Documents
Get all the necessary documents of your accident because they could serve as evidence where necessary. Get photos and, if possible, videos from the accident scene, medical reports and bills, and other relevant documents that will help your claim process.
Make Legal Consultation
It is essential to get legal help regarding your injury case. While you can still do without legal representation, it is essential because it helps you get more considerable compensation than you would otherwise have. In areas like Florida, one can be faced with life-changing accidents because of the nature of Floridian aggressive drivers. Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys at The Levin Firm can help to learn about your options before filing a claim.
Investigate Your Case
When you get an attorney, they help you investigate all the matters of your injuries and accident. A lawyer uses all the available options and gets all the forms of evidence present to build a strong case for you.
Find Negligence
Most personal injury cases are based on other people’s negligence. For example, if a drunk driver hits you, they have neglected traffic rules and should compensate you. Having an attorney will help you establish the negligence involved more quickly than when you do it alone. They also help you get compensated appropriately.
Serve Claim Notice
If you decide to pursue a case after your injury, all the parties involved should be informed of your intention. The notice is served to the concerned people by a law enforcement officer, a professional process server, or a court official.
Discuss on Settlement
The injured party’s lawyer may make demands from the defendant’s side or the insurance firm before taking the case to court. The attorneys of both parties make negotiations that are favorable to each. They can come up with a settlement; in other cases, a settlement may not be reached.
File a Lawsuit
The claimant and their lawyer can file a personal injury lawsuit. Both parties are expected to go through all the court proceedings providing all the necessary documents and evidence to help in their case. Some proceedings may go for up to a year or more.
Try Mediation
Another opportunity is there after the discovery period for the parties to settle the case through Mediation. During Mediation, a neutral third party helps to resolve the case in a way that favors both parties. If Mediation fails, the case is taken to trial.
These steps and the help of a personal injury attorney will help you get the settlement you deserve.
