A personal injury is the result of any action by an individual that causes harm to another person. The action could be intentional or not, and it can also be due to negligence or recklessness. Not only that, but personal injuries can happen anywhere at any given time. A lot of factors can cause a personal injury, including the following:
- Vehicular accidents
- Public area accidents
- Slips and trips
- Work premise liability
- Construction site accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Alcohol shop liability
- Assault and battery
- Sexual assault
- False accusation resulting in defamation
- Emotional distress infliction
- Defective product
- Wrongful death
- And so on
These determinants cause critical physical and emotional harm to an individual. In some cases, they even cause death. Any person who becomes the victim of such circumstances can claim a personal injury. That is when things become legal.
What comes next would be a personal injury claim. A victim can file for it in a court of law or legal office. A legal worker, such as a personal injury lawyer, will help the victim get compensation. They will also perform other tasks, such as:
- Scene investigation
- Talking with potential witnesses
- Analyze defective products
- Conduct research
- Educate the victim with tort law and other related matters
- Discuss with the victim’s insurance company
- Represent the victim in a court of law
- And so much more
Some victims might not consider hiring a lawyer or attorney. They might think that the hire would be nothing but an additional expense. Indeed, hiring requires money. But the thing is that once a victim gets a lawyer, the legal specialist will handle all of the work. In addition, there is what firms and legal specialists call contingency fees. Through a contingency fee, any person can access legal assistance. It does not matter if they are rich or poor, as long as they agree with the fee’s terms. What happens is that a victim will give a portion of the compensation to the firm or legal worker. A firm or lawyer will only get their cut once a case is over and the odds are in their favor. But if things do not go well-meaning they do not win the case – no charge will come through. However, the victim will still pay for some things, including transportation fees, lawyer fees, and so on.
Victims of a personal injury do not have to worry about locating a firm or legal worker to hire. Numerous law offices exist in virtually every city in the world. The same goes for private law practices. In addition, the internet also showcases thousands of sites and pages, including Personal Injury Law Firm San Antonio. These web pages dedicate their services to providing legal assistance to victims of personal injuries and other cases. Finding a site is as easy as pie. However, any interested individual must first check if a site is legitimate or not. They can do it by tackling a couple of steps, including the following:
- Checking the site’s legal documents and certifications
- Talking with a site’s owner or acting manager
- Finding previous customer reviews
- Looking up free web agencies for the site
- And so much more
Here is how a personal injury claim works in easy steps:
- A plaintiff becomes the victim of a personal injury.
- The next step is for them to hire an attorney or lawyer for representation. They can do this aspect by visiting a local firm or heading online for an appointment.
- A discussion between the victim and legal worker happens. A complaint comes into existence.
- The legal worker delivers the complaint to the defendant’s side.
- The defendant then hires an attorney as well.
- The pre-trial session begins. This part is when the first set of negotiations takes place.
- Next comes the trial phase. It usually takes a couple of days for it to conclude.
- Settlement happens. In most scenarios, personal injury claims end before going to court. If the defending party does not agree to anything, then the case goes to court. That means it will take longer to finish.
To become a victim of a personal injury should not be taken for granted at all. It is a serious matter that can lead to further physical and emotional harm and distress. So any victim should get assistance from a legal worker if that would be the case. However, it is paramount that they regain their health before hiring one at all. After all, it would mean nothing if a victim hires a lawyer but is not physically and mentally fit to help. Their recovery and health matter first.