When you have been in an accident or have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, it cannot be overstated just how crucial it is to get professional legal help. There are numerous reasons for this, some of which you may already know or will at least seem obvious to you once you know them. Accidents happen when we least expect them, and that’s why they are accidents and also tend to occur in places where we feel, at least, relatively safe.
From the roads we travel on every day to our workplace and even the doctor’s office, the truth is there is no location where any of us are immune to injury; that is a fact of life. Now, you can, fortunately, minimize your risk of getting into an accident by following traffic rules and guidelines, or safety guidelines at work, and just being cautious and smart and keeping your eyes open in general. However, even then, you may still somehow get injured, in which case one of your priorities should be to seek out a personal injury, and in this article, we are going to go over a few reasons why that is.
On-the-Spot Guidance
When someone is injured in an accident, they are obviously not at the peak of their mental abilities and fortitude, likely going through a variety of emotions and feelings ranging from pain to shock to anger to fear, and even the most stoic and level-headed person may feel temporarily unsure and confused about what is going to happen next and what steps he or she should take. Turning to an injury law expert in Michigan, for instance, who can be a lifesaver in the immediate aftermath of an accident, is a crucial step once you have called an ambulance and the police, of course. Once the lawyer is there, they will be able to offer you valuable guidance on the next steps you should take, and what things you should avoid. Your lawyer will also advise you on how to handle questions from the authorities, your employer, and others. You will also get some tips that could help your case down the line, like taking pictures of the accident scene, writing down relevant information, etc.
Hidden Injuries
An experienced lawyer may help you discover hidden injuries you were not even aware of that require treatment. In the US alone, there are millions of car accidents every year, with almost 40 thousand lives lost, and yet some people still ask why they need a personal injury attorney. Experienced attorneys know that some very serious injuries will not show any outward signs of trauma, and you may even think you are okay and walk around with no problem until you collapse in the middle of the street from a traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, or even psychological trauma or knee damage you did not notice until it was too late. Your lawyer will remind you to go for a thorough medical evaluation at a hospital with a professional who will screen you for any serious issues that may require treatment, and you will avoid much more serious consequences down the line.
Types of Cases
Let us take a look at what kinds of cases personal injury lawyers typically handle. To start off, you have the obvious and probably most common, vehicle accidents. Whether you were the driver, passenger, or just a pedestrian passing by who got hit, if you got injured because of someone else’s negligence, the attorney will be able to help. Workplace injuries also happen quite a bit and the legal case that follows can be very complex, involving liability issues and workers’ compensation, and without a lawyer, you simply won’t get very far. Next, we have slip and falls, which generally happen on someone else’s property because of unsafe conditions, like a wet floor that did not have a warning sign or a banana peel in a poorly lit space, which sounds like a comedy but you would be surprised how easily stupid accidents can turn into quite some pain. Medical malpractice is less common but very, very serious, as it means a doctor or a surgeon displayed criminal negligence, which caused possibly disastrous consequences for the patient, such as a botched operation or something of the sort. Another situation is where you will definitely want to turn to a professional attorney who will analyze your case and fight on your behalf for the compensation you deserve.
Compensation
You keep seeing this word, compensation, compensation, but what does it even mean exactly? Well, when you get injured in an accident or something else, you run up medical bills, and you can not go to work, perhaps for a longer period, which means lost wages, and that is without even mentioning the pain and suffering you have been through, both physical and emotional. Punitive damages also matter, which is compensation for you, the victim, meant to punish the harmful or reckless behavior of the defendant, who is responsible for your predicament. Compensation is all of these, both financial and practical, but also a form of justice that you are due.
No Upfront Cost
Perhaps the most important reason to get a personal injury lawyer is that many of them work on a contingency fee basis, which means they offer their representation for no upfront cost, and they do not receive payment until you do. Instead, they earn a percentage of the compensation you are awarded, should you be awarded, so you do not pay anything up to winning your case. You lose nothing by contacting an attorney and have everything to gain, and there is no downside to just reaching out for legal help and representation.
If you get into an accident, and especially if you get injured, you will not be in the best condition to make decisions or think about what exactly happened, never mind getting justice or compensation. That is why you will need a lawyer to give you counsel and present you with the best choices in front of you.
