Trial Lawyer News
Personal Injury Law News
March 24, 2009
Getting Compensation for Personal Injuries
When you suffer a personal injury, your life can be completely disrupted. You may find yourself physically unable to go to work. Your leg may be broken, your neck may be in a brace due to whiplash, or your fingers smashed by a construction injury. What are you supposed to do then?
Even if you can get yourself to work, you may not be able to perform your usual tasks as you could before. If your employer is unsympathetic, impatient or simply desperate to have someone do the work you normally do, you may end up losing your job through no fault of your own.
And of course there is always the outrageous cost of medical services required by your injury. Many people who are injured not only cannot earn a living, but are forced to use what money they do have to pay for the medical bills, drugs and surgery they may require.
How can a person in this situation get help to put their life back together? Generally the accepted legal principle is that if you have been injured due to someone else\'s negligence then that person or party can be held responsible for compensating you for your financial losses due to that injury.
But it is rarely that simple. Sifting through the details of such cases is not without its problems. Thankfully, you can employ a personal injury attorney. These people are specialists who will protect your rights and assist you in getting financial assistance to pay for your recovery. Just as important, you will have a friend available to offer advice and encouragement while you work your way through your injury.
Not every case of injury will be awarded compensation by the courts. Typically there are at least three questions that have to be answered before trying to recover expenses or get compensation from another party. The three questions are: Was there an actual physical injury? Did you receive medical treatment for the injury? Whose fault was the injury?
When you answer these questions truthfully and think you may have a case you should have your case assessed by an experienced personal injury lawyer. A good personal injury attorney will begin by confirming that your case is indeed eligible. In order to get a clearer idea of the nature of extent of your injury your lawyer will ask you questions such as, \"Were any bones broken?\", \"Did you lose consciousness at the time of the injury?\", \"Have you had recurring symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, a sore or stiff neck?\"
But the most important question from the legal point of view is the question of negligence. When you are injured solely due to your own carelessness you will almost never be eligible for compensation. Similarly if your injury is the result of a purely natural event - such as being hit by lightning - you will not have much of a claim for compensation.
But if your injury was directly caused by another person or party - for example if your injury resulted from your employer not maintaining a safe work environment, or your car mechanic not adequately fastening a wheel on your car - then you have a good chance of being successful in a personal injury claim.
Be sure to have a medical doctor look at your injuries right away. Also maintain a record of all the expenses - including lost salary - arising from your injury. That includes your transportation to and from your appointments or physical therapy sessions as well as any medications made necessary by the injury. If you win your case, you will probably qualify to be reimbursed for all of these things.
Most importantly, remember to file a lawsuit as soon as possible after an injury. Don\'t let it go beyond 30 days because that is often the maximum time for filing. If you don\'t file within the normally allowed time you may very well be out of luck.
Sometimes, personal injury expenses can be overwhelming, and contacting a lawyer becomes necessary.
Dealing with insurance companies can sometimes be difficult. If you are considering an injury case, contact the Houston Personal injury lawyers of the Stephens Law Firm at 713-224-0000
The Stephens Law Firm will represent people anywhere in Texas, or across the United States if the case merits it. The communities we have frequently served over the past 22 years include: Houston, Katy, Beaumont, Liberty, Richmond, Rosenberg, Wharton, Corpus-Christi, Waller, Austin, Brownsville, McAllen, Dallas, and San Antonio. We have extensive experience in the County and District Courts of Harris County, Ft Bend County, Nueces County, Wharton County, Bexar County, Liberty County, and Jefferson County.
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