Personal injury lawyers help victims of other people’s negligence recover from their physical, financial, and emotional losses. It’s a sprawling area of the law that is as important as it is complicated. Being injured is difficult, but being injured as a result of someone else’s negligence worsens the experience and can make it that much harder to overcome. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s in your best interest to work closely with an experienced Glendale personal injury attorney.
The Personal Injury Process
While your personal injury claim will not be exactly the same as anyone else’s, the personal injury process is a set path forward that includes the following steps:
- Seek the medical attention you need
- Consult with a dedicated personal injury attorney
- File your personal injury claim with the involved insurance company (the at-fault party’s provider)
- Assess your damages (often an ongoing process) and compile evidence in support of your claim
- Negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement that covers your full array of damages
- Proceed to court if the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith.
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Along the way, there is plenty of room for complications and setbacks, but your claim is too important not to pursue it professionally.
Some of the Most Common Categories of Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury claims can take many shapes, and each is utterly unique. There are, however, several categories of claims that arise most often, including:
- Traffic accidents of every variety, including car, truck, motorcycle, bike, pedestrian, and rideshare accidents
- Wrongful death, in which the person who is injured by someone else’s negligence succumbs to those injuries
- Vicious dog bites
- Slip and fall accidents and other premises liability claims
- Accidents that lead to amputations
- Drowning accidents in pools
Generally, if you’ve been injured because of another person or another entity’s negligence, you may have a personal injury claim that will allow you to obtain compensation for the losses you’ve suffered.
The Involved Insurance Company
Most personal injury claims are filed with the involved insurance company, and this is the provider for the at-fault party. While insurance companies sell this coverage and are paid for it, they remain for-profit businesses that engage in whatever practices they can to keep their settlements low and their profits high.
Rejecting Your Claim from the Get-Go
The insurance company involved in your case may simply reject your claim from the outset – not because it isn’t valid but in the hope that you will give up and go away. Don’t be influenced by such a move; an experienced personal injury attorney can help.
Making an Early Settlement Offer
Another early move that insurance companies will sometimes make is offering an early settlement that desperate claimants are willing to accept – before they have even had a chance to fully assess their actual damages. Without compensation covering your complete damages, it will be far more difficult for you to reach your fullest recovery.
Protracting or Complicating the Claims Process
The insurance company may attempt to make the claims process so convoluted and confusing that vulnerable claimants simply walk away out of hopelessness. The truth is that there is hope – and a path forward – so don’t buy into the insurance company’s tricks.
Attempting to Shift Blame
The insurance company may also take it upon itself to attempt to shift blame away from its client and toward you. The fact is that it is human nature to blame ourselves when things go wrong, and the insurance company is well aware of this tendency.
Denying the Extent of Your Damages
The insurance company may deny that your damages are as extensive as you claim they are – and may do everything in their power to prove this theory.
The sad truth is that insurance companies are not above preying on the vulnerabilities and the frail state of claimants (who also happen to be injured accident victims). While the insurance company’s dealings can wear you down, this is not your battle to fight. As you tend to the all-encompassing task of recovering from your injuries, your accomplished personal injury attorney will remain vigilant in his or her negotiations with the insurance company.
What to Do and What Not to Do
While you move forward on your journey toward healing, there are some basic do’s and don’ts that apply across every personal injury claim.
Personal Injury Do’s The basic personal injury do’s include:
- Do gather evidence at the scene of the accident if you are able to do so, including pictures and eyewitness statements – along with contact information. If your injuries prevent you from doing so, it’s very likely that a bystander will help you out.
- Do seek the medical attention that you need as soon after being injured as possible.
- Do follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
- Do obtain the professional legal guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Taking care of your health is naturally paramount, and having a dedicated personal injury attorney in your corner helps take care of the rest.
Personal Injury Don’ts
There are also some things that you should never do if you are the victim of someone else’s negligence:
- Don’t talk or make a statement at the scene of the accident unless an attending police officer asks you questions directly, such as after a car accident. In such a situation, it’s important to answer as truthfully and succinctly as possible but not to become more verbally expansive than necessary.
- Don’t post pictures or comments on social media that have anything to do with your accident. In fact, it is a good idea to stay off social media altogether until your claim has settled or you’ve received a court award.
- Don’t provide the insurance company with a statement. You are not required to make an official statement to the involved insurance company, and doing so is unlikely to do you any favors. Communicating with the insurance company is another job for your personal injury attorney.
Our Glendale Personal Injury Attorneys are Here to Help
Taking care of your health is naturally paramount, and having a dedicated personal injury attorney in your corner helps take care of the rest.
Turn to an Experienced Glendale Personal Injury Attorney for the Help You Need
The trusted Glendale personal injury attorneys at Los Angeles City Law are standing by to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact or call us at 866-999-6640 for more information today.
Our Practice Areas
Our practice areas span the breadth of personal injury cases and legal services, including:
If you have a concern related to personal injury law, we are here to help.
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