If you or a loved one has recently experienced an accident related injury, you may be wondering what your next step should be. Personal injury situations can be very complicated and delicate, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. If you find yourself missing work due to your accident, it’s all the more important for you to pursue legal action. If you have no idea what to do after a car accident, or just have some general questions, we are here to help.
I’ve Just Been in an Accident. What Should I Do First?
Well, if you are injured, the most important step is to first see a doctor. Your health and safety should be the absolute number one priority, but it is also important to have any injuries you may have sustained documented by a physician. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may need to seek out emergency hospital care, or if you find yourself dealing with more minor injuries that aren’t causing a great deal of pain, urgent care or a last-minute primary care physician appointment should do just fine. Once you’ve taken care of that, if you plan on pursuing legal action, now is the time to contact a lawyer.
Do I Really Need a Lawyer?
If you are intent on pursuing legal action, you’ll likely need to get a lawyer, though not in all cases. If your situation is straightforward and uncomplicated, you may be able to avoid hiring a lawyer. Many law firms will give you free evaluations to see if their services are required in your situation. Even though nearly 96% of all personal injury cases are settled out of court, having a lawyer present for these deliberations is still vastly important to make sure you’re getting what you deserve. If you are missing work due to your injury, you need money from your case to stay afloat, and a lawyer will help you accomplish that.
How Do I Know If I Should Pursue a Claim?
If you were injured due to the negligence of another person, you have a valid claim. If you’re missing work due to an injury sustained at the hands of someone else, it’s obviously not your fault you’re unable to work. Why should you be saddled with the financial burden? Contact a lawyer to find out more, but generally, if you were injured and the accident wasn’t your fault, you’re entitled to a claim.
How Do I Decide on an Attorney?
Contact attorneys in your local area that practice or even specialize in car accident cases. By speaking with the attorney or their office, try to gauge whether they seem like a right fit for you. After all, having an attorney you can trust is incredibly important, and personalities can conflict. If you can get in touch with a lawyer that suits your needs, they should be able to help you with the next steps to get compensation for missing work or damaged property.
Have you had to deal with missing work due to an auto related injury? Did you get in touch with a lawyer? What was your experience like? Let us know down in the comments below!