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Filing a Personal Injury Case: What You Need to Know

 

Personal injury claims, also known as tort claims, involve issues of liability and damages. This means your attorney must prove that the defendant is liable for your injuries and you must demonstrate the extent of your losses. If you’ve sustained injuries in an accident, such as a car accident or construction accident, you could visit a law firm near Annapolis for legal guidance. A personal injury lawyer can review your case and explain your options for securing compensation for your losses. personal injury lawyer annapolis md

Evaluate the Insurance Coverage

One of the ways an auto accident lawyer can help you is by handling insurance matters. Your attorney can evaluate whether the defendant may have sufficient liability coverage to allow you to collect a jury award or settlement. Your attorney can also advise you as to whether accepting a payment from the insurance company might be a better choice for you than going to court. This may depend upon the merits of your case, the extent of your damages, and the amount of the proposed payment.

Demand Fair Compensation

Filing a personal injury claim isn’t only a matter of gathering evidence to prove the defendant’s liability. You must also document your losses before you can secure compensation for them. In personal injury cases, an attorney will typically sue for past and future medical expenses, including diagnostic tests, medical treatments, medications, durable medical equipment, and physical or occupational therapy costs. It’s important to keep all of your related receipts to prove your losses. You must also keep documentation to prove your lost wages, if any. In addition to these economic damages, your attorney could demand non-economic damages on your behalf. These include pain and suffering, and emotional distress. If you’re filing a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of the estate of a family member, you could sue for wrongful death, loss of companionship, and loss of consortium.

Decide Whether to Settle Out of Court

After filing a lawsuit, your attorney may receive a settlement offer from the defendant . In some cases, your lawyer may negotiate with the other party to make the settlement offer more favorable for you. You’ll need to choose whether you’ll accept, which means you’ll receive compensation in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.