If you have been injured in an accident, you may be wondering how to maximize your personal injury settlement.
The first step is to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This will ensure that your injuries are documented and can be used as evidence in your case. Once you have received medical treatment, you should contact an Idaho Falls personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal options.
These are the first steps you need to take right away. Your personal injury attorney will help you get the compensation you deserve.
Below we will discuss some important information you should know about personal injury law and how to get the most out of the situation.
Damages You Can Claim
When filing a personal injury claim, it’s important to list all damages you have suffered — physical and emotional. This will give your attorney the best chance to get you the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Medical Costs
One of the most important types of damages to list are your medical expenses. This can include current and future costs, such as:
- Ambulance fees
- Emergency room care
- Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Physical therapy
- Counseling
These are just some of the medical costs that can be associated with a personal injury. If you have any medical bills, receipts or documentation, be sure to give them to your Idaho Falls attorney.
Missed Wages
Another significant damage you can claim is lost wages. This includes not only the pay you missed out on while you were recovering from your injuries, but also any future earnings you may lose as a result of long-term effects from the accident. This can be difficult to estimate, which is why having documentation from your employer detailing your salary and position is important.
Pain and Suffering
In addition to medical expenses and lost wages, you may also be able to recover damages for pain and suffering. This type of damage is more difficult to quantify, but may be considerable depending on the severity of your injuries.
One way of proving pain and suffering is to provide documentation from your doctor or other medical professionals detailing the injuries you sustained and the effects they have had on your life.
Another way of proving pain and suffering is to provide testimony from yourself and others who have witnessed the physical and/or emotional anguish you have endured as a result of the accident.
Getting testimony from a therapist can go a long way in supporting a pain and suffering claim.
Punitive Damages
In some cases, the court may award punitive damages. These are intended to punish the at-fault party for their negligence and deter them from engaging in similar behavior in the future. Punitive damages are typically only awarded in cases where the at-fault party’s negligence was particularly egregious.
Negotiating With Your Insurance Company
Once you have gathered all of the necessary evidence, it is time to start negotiating with your insurance company. It is important to remember that insurance companies are businesses. They are in the business of making money, not paying out settlements. That means they will try to take advantage of people’s limited understanding of the law and how personal injury settlements work.
Some people try to negotiate their own settlements and end up getting much less than they could have with an attorney. This is because insurance companies will take advantage of the fact that most people do not know how to negotiate settlements. They will low-ball you on your offer, hoping you will take it out of desperation.
This is why it’s so important to have an attorney negotiate for you on your behalf. A good personal injury lawyer will know how to negotiate with insurance companies and get you the best possible settlement.
When Should You File a Personal Injury Claim?
You should file a personal injury claim as soon as possible after you have been injured. This is because the sooner you file, the better your chances of getting a fair settlement.
The Statute of Limitations
There is a statute of limitations on filing personal injury claims, so it’s important to act quickly. In Idaho and all other states, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the accident. This means that if you wait too long to file your claim, you may be barred from doing so entirely.
This is why it’s so important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible after you have been injured. An experienced attorney will be able to tell you whether or not you have a valid claim, help you get started on the process of filing it and help you win your personal injury case.
Filing a Claim
Once you have consulted with an attorney and decided to file a personal injury claim, the next step is to actually file the claim. This can be done by yourself or with the help of an attorney.
If you choose to file the claim on your own, you will need to gather all of the necessary paperwork and evidence. This includes medical records, police reports, witness statements and anything else that will support your claim. Once you have all of the required documentation, you will need to file a complaint with the appropriate court.
If you choose to hire an attorney, they will handle all of the paperwork and filing for you. They will also be able to help you gather the necessary evidence and build your case.
Contact MZJ
We will help you get the most personal injury compensation possible and we offer free legal consultation at our personal injury law firm. Let’s get in touch!
