Personal injury can happen anywhere, anytime. From walking down the street to dining in a fine restaurant, or even attending your place of work, personal injuries do not come with an announcement. They just happen, leaving you to pick up the pieces and find a way to move forwards.
Primarily, you may approach the person or company at fault to settle the matter quickly. All too often, you will find that the responsible party seeks to avoid your calls or emails. Avoidance tactics can lead to some people withdrawing their interest. But if you want to formally address the situation, you need to carefully execute your next steps (see personalinjury.com for more details).
Expedite Your Claim
First things first. Following any unsuccessful communication attempts with the responsible party, your frustration level will likely be high. A lawyer understands that the process of filing a claim does not begin with gaining permission from the other side. By speaking to a lawyer and asking them to intervene on your behalf, the legal team will “get the ball rolling” with or without acknowledgment from the other side.
What does this mean? In essence, the responsible party and the courts receive notification of your intention to prosecute. At this stage, the other side will likely become responsive to your communications. Even if the person or company responsible for your injury refuses to acknowledge the claim, the courts will process your case following procedure.
Follow Procedure
As mentioned, personal injury compensation claims involve procedure. In the opening stages, gathering evidence, filing the correct documentation, and using effective means to inform the other side of your intentions will be high on the list of actions.
Without speaking to a lawyer, you may not be able to carry out all necessary actions on time because you are unaware of the requirements.
That is why speaking to a lawyer as early as possible can ensure that your claim follows procedure from the outset, reducing any missed opportunities to progress your claim on time.
Final Settlement
The other side will not wish to pay out the maximum amount. You may receive a starting offer that will not necessarily meet your expectations. Tactics such as these aim to test the resolve of the claimant. The other side knows that failure to settle means the case will progress to court.
There is a danger that the courts may rule a lower compensation reward. There is also the added consideration that the courts will rule in favor of the other side.
Claimants can feel the pressure to succumb to a low offer to ensure a payout. But a lawyer is in a position to understand when the other side makes an offer worth considering and when the amount offered is too low.
The lawyer can also help fight for additional payments towards things like ongoing care and rehabilitation. If you are not sure how to progress your claim, and if you don’t know what factors to include in your case, always speak to a lawyer.