When people are injured due to the negligence or recklessness of someone else, their first fear is that they will not have money to hire a competent personal injury attorney who will provide personalised representation with empathy and compassion. They often delay seeking legal advice and worry about how they will pay their medical bills or make up for lost time at work. However, if another person or entity has harmed you, you may be entitled to compensation through the legal representation you deserve.
Contingency Basis
The majority of personal injury attorneys represent their clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that your personal injury attorney does not get paid unless they win damages on your behalf. There are zero upfront charges for your attorney’s services, and you will never be required to make any out-of-pocket payments. Your lawyer will agree to a fixed percentage of the total award they win for you, typically one-third of the recovery of the final amount paid to the client. This also means that your attorney gets paid more if you get paid more, giving them more incentive to fight harder to achieve a successful outcome in your case.
Because you don’t have to pay any fees upfront, it’s essential to seek out a personal injury attorney right away. Each state says its own statute of limitations for personal injury cases, which is the time limit a person has to file a claim. In the state of Georgia, there is a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
Steps To Take After An Accident
No matter what kind of injury you have suffered, there are some steps that you should take in order to help your personal injury case. Any documentation created or received during and immediately after your personal injury should be provided to your attorney.
File A Report
If you were involved in a car accident, you will need to provide a police report to your attorney. If you were injured in another way and called the police, you should go ahead and request a copy of the police report. If you were injured on someone else’s property after a slip and fall, such as at a hotel or a grocery store, then the property owner or supervisor should have filled out an incident report and provided you with a copy of it.
Exchange Information
In a car accident, you are required to exchange information with the other driver who was involved in the collision. You should also get the contact information from witnesses for any type of personal injury. The information you should gather includes your:
- Names
- Addresses
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Insurance information, when applicable
- In the case of a car accident, you must provide each other proof of a valid driver's license
Capture Photographic Evidence
Regardless of the type of injury that you suffered, you should take photos and videos of the scene of the accident as well as your injuries. Nowadays, most people have a camera on their phone that can be used to capture images of the damage, the site where the accident happened, and any factors that could have contributed to the accident, such as obstructions in the road preceding a car accident, or dim lighting in an area before a slip and fall.
Seek Medical Attention
Your health and wellness are of utmost importance after a personal injury. You should go to the nearest emergency room to have your injuries checked out by a physician. You may be worried about who will cover your medical expenses. That’s why you need to call an attorney right away so they can get started on your personal injury case. An attorney fights for you to get the compensation you deserve so that the liable party pays for your injuries.
