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If you've been injured in an accident or were the victim of a wrongful death, it's very likely that the first thing anyone recommended you do (after visiting a physician) is obtain the services of a personal injury lawyer. Unless they have been through the legal process, however, that's probably where they knowledge of the process stops. They don't have a clue what's going to happen after you make that phone call!
When you've been the victim of someone else's carelessness, a personal injury lawyer is your most valuable asset when it comes to obtaining the compensation and negotiating the settlement that you deserve. Time is of the essence when it comes to filing your personal injury claim, so it's vital that you contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident to ensure that you don't forget any of the details surrounding the incident and, equally importantly, that you are well within your state's statutory guidelines for filing a claim. (Most states allow you to take legal action for a year or two after the incident, but after that point declare that too much time has passed. Don't let that happen to you!)
The first thing your lawyer is going to do is meet with you to discuss the details of your case and determine whether or not it will be able to stand up in a court of law. An experienced personal injury lawyer will have heard just about every story in the book when it comes to the events (and protestations of innocence) surrounding an accident, and they'll be able to pick through the fine print and determine whether or not the parties responsible for the injury or death can be held liable by law for the accident. Because most personal injury lawyers work on contingency (which means that unless they manage to negotiate a settlement for you, they don't get paid) they will be honest with you from the beginning about your chances of winning your case-they don't want to waste hours of their time and yours when neither one of you will benefit.
From that point your personal injury lawyer will walk you through the process of filing your claim. Unfortunately, it is the victim of the accident that must prove the guilt of the other party, and while ideally everyone would be willing to step up to the plate and take responsibility for their actions, the truth is that nine times out of ten they're going to fight tooth and nail to protest their innocence. Your lawyer will be able to help you document the evidence that they were, in fact, responsible, and they'll file the papers through the court to get the legal wheels turning.
Most personal injury cases settle out of court, because let's face it-no one wants the hassle or the bad publicity of a long, messy court battle. Your personal injury lawyer will work together with the legal counsel of the responsible party to negotiate a settlement for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, embarrassment, rehabilitative therapy and other expenses that may have developed as a result of your injury or the wrongful death of a loved one and help you put your best foot forward and reclaim your future.
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