Nobody ever wants to consider the possibility of suffering injuries in an automobile accident, bike accident or a motorcycle accident. These accidents often result in life-altering injuries that not only impact victims physically, they can also have long-term financial consequences including loss of income.
When these accidents do occur, it is crucial that victims consider hiring a personal injury attorney to help protect their rights. Keep in mind, while drivers carry insurance to protect their personal assets from these types of liabilities, insurance companies have one goal in mind – to pay as little as possible.
Victims who hire a personal injury attorney often are able to get larger settlements from insurance companies because they have someone representing their best interests. Remember, insurance companies are protecting their interests, not the interest of the victim.
When to hire an attorney – While bike, automobile and motorcycle accident victims should consider hiring a personal injury lawyer, there are other times when a personal injury attorney can help protect your rights. In some cases, you may not have considered some of the situations that victims are entitled to remuneration.
Dog bites – A study conducted by Dogsbite.org shows that between 2002 and 2011, there were 12,898 dog bite victims. During this time, more than three-quarters of these bites resulted in bodily harm and more than two-thirds resulted in fatalities. This is a serious number when you consider that nearly three-quarters of these bites occurred in children.
Work related injuries – Various injuries occur in the workplace, some are very serious and may cause the loss of life or limb. When these injuries occur, there are several issues that must be dealt with including Worker’s Compensation issues and issues of safety. These are mostly cases that should be handled by a personal injury attorney to help protect the victim as well as other employees.
Defective product problems – At home, in the workplace and at work, problems occur with defective machinery, products and equipment. When injured as a result of a defective product, a personal injury lawyer can help make sure that victims are compensated for their injuries.
Slip and fall injuries – Whether they occur on the private property of a homeowner or a slip and fall injury occurs because of the negligence of a store owner, slip and fall accidents can cause serious injury. When you are a victim of negligence that causes a slip and fall accident, it is crucial that you get proper legal representation.
When accidents occur
Regardless of what type of personal injury you are suffering, it is important to understand how to handle yourself right after an accident occurs. Remember, the insurance company may contact you nearly immediately and attempt to reach an agreement right away. This should be avoided. The proper process for dealing with personal injury is as follows:
Auto accidents – When you are the victim of an auto accident, you should contact the police, collect witness names, go to the hospital for evaluation and then contact a personal injury lawyer.
Work accidents – When you are injured at work, you should file a report with your employer and go to the hospital or doctor for immediate evaluation. Once this has been done, you should then contact a personal injury lawyer to help prepare for your Worker’s Compensation claim.
Dog bites – Dog bites are serious business and should be taken care of immediately. The dog owner should be contacted to find out who the veterinarian is to find out about the dog’s current vaccination history. Once this is done the victim should be seen at a hospital or doctor’s office for evaluation. A police report may need to be filed and a personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately.
Defective products – When injured due to a defective product, piece of equipment or other similar case, immediately see your physician for evaluation. Contact a personal injury attorney to find out how to proceed.
Remember, victims of personal injury should not speak with an insurance company until such time as they have been in contact with a personal injury lawyer. Doing otherwise could jeopardize your ability to collect the full compensation that is due to the victim.
Image credit: By Deschew (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons