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Do You Have A Personal Injury Claim?

If you have been injured in an accident, suffered a slip and fall or a dog bite, been harmed by a defective drug or product or in some way been harmed by someone's negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injury. You may also be compensated for associated losses like time off from work, property damage and even pain and suffering.

If you think another party may be responsible for your injury you should speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether or not you should pursue your personal injury claim. Many offer a free initial consultation.

To make that determination, you and your attorney will have to answer three questions:

1. Who is responsible for your injury?
You can only pursue a personal injury claim if you and your personal injury lawyer can identify a third party who is responsible for your injury and your attorney believes he can prove that the third party was responsible.

There are times when more than one party is liable. In that case your personal injury attorney may need to include multiple defendants in your claim. They may for instance, where workers’ compensation benefits are involved, file two or more separate claims. Or if you are one of the parties responsible you may be barred from recovery or your recovery may be reduced proportionate to your own fault. The law differs from state to state but a personal injury attorney will be able to tell you which applies in your state.

2. What are your damages?
Even if you can prove that the party was responsible for your injuries you can’t recover in a personal injury case unless your attorney can show compensable damages such as:

If you can prove damages you and your personal injury attorney will need to review your case together to determine whether or not they are sufficient to justify moving forward. If your injuries are slight and your losses small, then you may not be able to recover enough to justify the investment of time and lost work required to pursue your claim.

3. How committed are you to pursuing the claim?
Personal injury cases require an investment. If you’re going to file a claim, you have to be prepared to invest time in your case because personal injury cases can take months, sometimes even years to settle or reach trial.

Insurance company representatives, opposing parties and their attorneys and even some of your friends may try to make you feel guilty for pursuing your claim. You may have to appear for depositions, answer written interrogatories with the help of your attorney, and provide documents and other evidence to the opposing party.

With this in mind if you’re ready to move forward and pursue the compensation you deserve, call a personal injury attorney and take the first step.

Have a Personal Injury Attorney on your side
The legal process can be daunting, and most of us don’t have enough knowledge of the law to make correct decisions about what to do. If you’re unsure how to proceed a free consultation with a personal injury attorney may be just what you need. You’ll never know the strengths or weaknesses of your case until you speak with a personal injury attorney.

Make sure that you have the information you need to make an educated decision and gather that information before you take any action that might negatively affect your case, like talking to an insurance company.