What Exactly is a Personal Injury Claim?

It can be overwhelming to deal with injuries at any age. What makes the injuries even more troublesome is if you weren’t at fault for getting hurt and now are left with mounting medical bills and missed time at work to heal.

Personal injury claims allow you to attempt to obtain compensation for the medical bills, the wages lost while handling your injuries, and more.

What Are Some of the First Steps I Should Take?

After any injury, it is crucial to seek medical attention. There are common cases where an individual chose not to seek medical attention, thinking that their injuries weren’t severe, and later found out that though there weren’t apparent injuries, there were complications they weren’t aware of, such as a concussion that lets to traumatic brain injury or other examples. After an accident, having a physician thoroughly examine you and discuss your concerns is incredibly important.

Begin to gather documentation. This can involve pictures of the accident scene, contact information from the other parties involved, eyewitness statements, and more. A police report and medical record are also essential to have on hand.

Consider hiring an attorney. It can feel like an easy task to handle a personal injury case. Still, without the experience of helping several families, you may overlook details that could result in significant changes in what compensation you are eligible for. Experienced attorneys can help you document details you hadn’t yet thought of, negotiate with the other parties and their insurance companies, establish negligence which is crucial to obtaining compensation, and more.

What Damages Can I File For?

The obvious damages such as your medical bills or property damage come to mind quickly for those who have experienced a personal injury. It can feel overwhelming to deal with the financial strain that a personal injury can leave you in. What some don’t often realize is that you may be eligible for several other compensation aspects.

Emotional pain and suffering and other non-tangible issues can also be factored into the compensation you request. Do you no longer find happiness in the same activities you once engaged in due to your injuries? Sporting events, concerts, and more? These things can be included with an estimated monetary value and requested as damages.

Have you experienced injuries that have left you unable to perform your work tasks the same as you once had? That can be referred to as diminished earning capacity, and the amount (the difference between what you once made and what you can make now) can be calculated and factored into what you request compensation for.

Were you partially at fault for the injuries, so you feel that you wouldn’t have a valid claim? If it is found that you aren’t at least 50% or more at fault for the injuries you sustained, you can still be compensated.

Why Hire an Attorney?

As you can see, there are many details you may not have thought of after your injuries. It’s not something we are taught in school or in our society. That is what well-trained attorneys are here to help you with. Contact our office at (608) 448-6242 to get your specific questions answered and learn more about how we can help you.