Personal Injury Lawyer
You may know someone who was involved in a motor vehicle accident or a premises liability case and their case was settled swiftly. There are times where personal injury cases are carried out until the two-year statute of limitations, though, or even beyond that. No matter how similar the circumstances, no two personal injury cases are the same and you can never determine how long one will go on. Insurance companies try to settle claims quickly if there is clear liability. Cases typically take a little longer if attorneys are involved because they want to make sure that you are getting everything you deserve. Before accepting any settlement amount from an insurance company, speak with a personal injury attorney, like a personal injury attorney in Atlanta, GA, to determine what your case may be worth.
Personal injury claims can potentially take a while because there are several hoops to jump through before you reach or accept a settlement agreement. Insurance policy limits are just that — the limit of their policy. Therefore, insurance companies tend to begin by offering a policy limit or less. In cases where the insured and at-fault party shows clear liability, it is possible that a policy limit will be offered to the plaintiff. Having a personal injury attorney on your team will make establishing liability easier. An investigation will begin, from gathering details at the scene of the incident, to the physical damages, the medical bills incurred, lost wages accrued, any life adjustments that had to be made as a result of the incident, amongst several other factors. Gathering these details to ensure you get the best outcome possible is not a fast process. Especially considering, you must continue life as is in order to see how this incident has truly affected you. You will not know this information immediately following the incident in question.
Once information is gathered, your personal injury attorney will then negotiate the policy limits with the insurance company. Some attorneys will even negotiate your medical bills based on the amount of money an insurance company is offering so that you can get a higher settlement. The attorney will also have depositions scheduled with other parties involved, including but not limited to the at-fault party and medical professionals who treated you in any capacity. Hopefully once these parts of the case are completed, an agreeable settlement can be reached, and in most cases it is. However, there are times when an insurance company will continue to fight and make the case to go to trial. The evidence gathered will be presented to a judge and jury, who will determine how much compensation the prosecution will get. Insurance companies typically don’t go this route because it can prolong a case and they might end up paying even more money than the prosecution originally suggested.
This is why it is good to speak with a personal injury attorney. If you suffered an injury due to another party’s negligence, dealing with these details can make suffering more stressful, which is not good for your health. A personal injury attorney can handle the workload, while you regain your health. The process can be long, but you do not have to carry everything on your own.
Thanks to the law office of Andrew R. Lynch for their insight into personal injury case claims.