Being in an accident and staying sober enough to know what to do next is always a difficult thing, given the fact that these situations are causing shock and stress. However, if you manage to pull it through with or without help, you often get frustrated by the time it takes for the case to be processed and the settlement to be complete. All of this is completely normal, but can be a lot less stressful if you apply a couple of useful tips for the claim process to be faster.
This article will tell you about what you can do to speed up the process, but first, let’s take a look at what a personal injury is.
What is a personal injury?
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In legal language, it is a term used to describe an injury that has been done to the body, mind, or emotions of a person.
All states have laws on this, which give clear definitions and describe such cases as serious offenses, giving an opportunity to the victim to claim justice in the form of a settlement. The first step, of course, is the court procedure. The settlement, as its result, gives compensation for every loss that was suffered in the accident, or some other incident.
The aim is, of course, to compensate for the damage that has been done to a person, after the accident which was someone else’s fault. Victims of car accidents, product defects, and other types of personal injury incidents can consult an experienced lawyer, such as one from Omofoma Law and other reputable law firms, to get the aid they need.
Where do these apply?
Reading the aforementioned you must have a couple of situations in mind, where these may apply. However, it is important to know that there are various situations one can pursue a claim. The most common are:
- Accidents – where a person is acting careless, and this behavior is inflicting damage to another person. Then laws on personal injuries can apply. The most common example of these is traffic accidents, and eye, back or feet injuries.
- An injury is done on purpose – situations when a person inflicts damage to another person out of a pure will.
- Products with a defect. It can happen that a person has just bought a car with a defect that caused an accident. But these can also be applied when any type of product that has been purchased results in an injury when used. Because of its obvious defect. Such cases can result in a lawsuit against a company that is producing this product.
- Medical negligence. It occurs when a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare worker fails to provide the standard level of care, resulting in complications, another injury, or wrongful death. This usually leads to significant physical and psychological injuries and financial losses.
As we mentioned earlier, these can really take time, and the process can be exhausting to the victim who has already suffered enough stress just by being in an accident. Here are some of the tricks to use, in order to speed up the whole process…
Hire professional help
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Professional help might just be the help you need for the whole thing to be less stressful, and to ensure the outcome is in your best interest. There are tons of reasons for this step to be taken, but the most relevant is because a lawyer will know exactly how to act in your case, and navigate it to ensure you’re the best interest is guaranteed. No need to mention how the fact that this is his field of expertise will cut down the time the claim can usually take, according to 4injured.com. He will also know all the tricks that can be performed in order to speed up the process and will walk you through them, and prepare anything so you can concentrate on getting well after the incident.
A local lawyer will have a deep understanding of the laws and procedures in the area. Because personal injury laws vary from state to state, hiring one familiar with the local judges, courts, and other legal professionals in their jurisdiction can help resolve a personal injury case successfully.
But most of all, it will give you peace of mind, knowing the whole thing is being navigated by a professional in the field, that you are in safe hands.
Avoid common mistakes
AS we mentioned earlier, a professional in this field knows all about the tips and tricks that cut the time of the process. One such trick is how to make sure mistakes that interfere with the processing are avoided. When handling the process alone, you are more likely to make a mistake when filling out some of the papers required for the claim to be processed. By the time this gets to the court, they realize it, send it back, you receive it, correct the mistake, and they evaluate the whole thing again, months can pass. It’s not just the court involved, it’s also insurance agencies, etc. Also, some people aren’t aware of the statutes of limitations to file a claim. It’s too late when they do, and they lose their right to file one. To avoid all of this, it’s safer to hire a lawyer to go through all the documentation before it has been handed out to the court.
Submitting complete documentation
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Software helps increase efficiency by automating many tasks in filing a claim. But while these programs can help draft essential documents, such as demand letters and settlement agreements, only a lawyer can verify complete documentation; they aren’t a substitute for legal advice.
Most insurance companies require police reports, witness statements, medical records, bills, receipts, and the insurer’s complete insurance information. If there are any witnesses to the accident, the lawyer can help obtain written statements from them. A personal injury attorney can also request medical records to show the extent of the victim’s injuries and the treatment received. Moreover, a personal injury attorney can ensure a claim’s approval.
A claim can be rejected or you can be asked to provide further evidence. Again, this can be done by both the court and the insurance company. Failing to answer this results in your loss. You won’t believe how common this is, only because people fail to hire help, or because they hire the wrong type of attorney. For this reason, it is necessary to go through the documentation and check if it’s completely a couple of times before you actually file it. For those already working in the field, this is a matter of routine, and if some document is missing they will know after one look. Moreover, if you have doubts about where to get some documents, an attorney can direct you, and assist with the procedure of obtaining this document.
Finally, it is very important to have patience when it comes to these settlements. Depending on how complicated it was, it may take some time, with or without help. The only thing better when it comes to having help is the fact that you’ll be sure everything has been done as it should be, and all that is left now is to wait for the claim process to be over. When the time comes for the claim to be processed, and the settlement to be complete, you’ll be satisfied with the outcome and the fact that you’ve finally got the justice you deserve.
