Let Personal Injury Lawyers in Birmingham Fight for You
While it may be hard to imagine until it happens to you, a personal injury can derail your life in a variety of hard-to-manage ways. From missing work for weeks to the possibility of lifelong physical pain, a personal injury due to someone else’s fault is a difficult experience. If you have been injured at the fault of someone else, you have options to seek justice for your suffering. With the help of personal injury lawyers in Birmingham, find out how you may be able to fight back and receive financial compensation.
When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
When you have been injured, it can be hard to know where to start. Many personal injury victims are unsure if they even have a case to claim negligence as the reason. While it may be hard to determine as the victim, an experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to collect the information surrounding the accident or the injury and determine if you have a case. A personal injury lawyer will also be able to help you fight for the maximum payout possible, depending on the specifics of the case. Once you have been injured, seeking an experienced personal injury lawyer should be a top priority. If the injury allows the victim to seek legal counsel the same day or a few days later, it can be useful in gathering information while the events of the injury are still fresh. Even if the victim has to wait longer than a few days to seek legal counsel, it is still essential to do so as soon as possible. Personal injury attorneys can come in at any stage of a personal injury suit, but it is beneficial to obtain one as early as possible in this legal process.
What Counts as Personal Injury?
It can be hard to figure out what is a personal injury due to negligence or just a simple case of bad luck. Personal injury due to negligence usually occurs when someone else has created or encouraged the conditions that resulted in the injury. For example, a personal injury fall may happen because someone did not maintain reasonably safe conditions of their property. Personal injuries can range from minor to severe in nature, such as cuts, sprains, burns, broken bones, and even death. Aside from the injury being a result of someone else’s negligence, a personal injury becomes enough to warrant a legal case when you have suffered a personal injury meeting the following criteria:
- You have suffered an injury that requires medical treatment at the fault of someone else.
- You have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence that caused permanent injuries or disability.
- The insurance company is stalling on agreement of payment related to your personal injury case in hopes of a statute of limitations.
If you are unsure if your injury falls under these circumstances, contacting an experienced lawyer is always a smart first step. They will be able to help you determine if you have a case and how much compensation you may be entitled to as a result of your injury.
What Type of Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Personal Injury Settlement?
Under Alabama law, a victim of personal injury due to negligence is entitled to fight for compensation in the form of damages. Damages are considered consequences resulting from personal injury. For example, an Alabama personal injury case may include asking for damages, such as lost wages from being unable to work, hospital and other medical bills incurred as a result of the injury itself, reduction in future earning capacity costs, and other economic damages. In addition to economic damages, a victim of personal injury may be able to claim non-economic damages and punitive damages. Non-economic damages include matters such as physical pain and suffering, emotional suffering, emotional distress, permanent disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment in life as a result of the injury and its impacts. Punitive damages occur when the victim can prove that the person responsible for their injuries did so intentionally through oppression, malice, or fraud.
Should You Answer Questions from the Other Party’s Insurance Company?
Many victims of personal injury do not seek legal counsel soon enough. They believe that being as cooperative as possible with the insurance company of the person responsible for their injury will ensure the right financial compensation. However, insurance companies may be intentionally stalling in hopes of a statute of limitations making the case ineligible. Insurance companies also do not have the victim’s best interest at heart and would rather pay little to nothing at all whenever possible. It is important to avoid speaking with the insurance company of the liable party without legal representation present. An experienced lawyer will act as your mediator to avoid the insurance company using tactics of manipulation to dismiss your case or settle an offer that is considerably less than you deserve. Even giving a recorded statement to the insurance company may allow them to use that against you later in a legal sense. The best bet is always to speak with a lawyer and let them deal with the insurance company on your behalf.
Find Legal Help Today
Whether you have been fighting with the insurance company to reach a settlement on a recent injury or you have just been injured without taking the first steps, we are here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. When injured by someone else’s negligence, you are likely to feel overwhelmed and confused. Let us fight for you today. Call us at 205-881-5641 now for a consultation on your personal injury claim.