If an accident occurs because of another person’s negligence, it falls under personal injury law. According to the Legal Information Institute, “Personal injuries include every variety of injury to a person’s body, emotions, or reputation.”
A personal injury lawyer can be hired to:
- Determine who is liable for your injuries
- Investigate the accident and acquire evidence
- Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf
- Take your case to trial if needed
If you’ve been injured in an accident because of another person’s wrongdoings or negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover your damages. To speak with an experienced attorney, contact us online or by calling (800) 320-HELP.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
At Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia, we handle a wide variety of personal injury cases. Here are just a few types of cases that fall under personal injury law:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Workplace injuries
- Medical malpractice
- Child injuries
- Nursing home abuse
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Understanding Negligence
To have a valid personal injury claim, someone else needs to be legally liable for your injuries. Negligence refers to a breach of duty of care. In society, we owe each other a certain level of care in everything we do. For example, when you get behind the wheel of a car, you owe everyone else a certain level of safety and responsibility.
When someone texts and drives, speeds, or drives recklessly, they’re breaching this duty and acting negligently. If their negligence causes an accident and another person’s injury, they can be held legally liable.
Negligence applies to all different types of personal injury law, not just car accidents. In a slip and fall accident, the negligent party is often the property owner. In medical malpractice cases, the negligent party is often a doctor or nurse. For motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, it is usually a driver.
Learn more: Types of Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
The Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer for Your Case
When you choose to represent yourself against an insurance company, nine out of ten times, they’ll take advantage of you. They hold the power over injured individuals, and they use it to deny claims and offer minimal settlement amounts.
By hiring a lawyer for your case, you’re bringing a skilled negotiator with resources and experience into the discussion. Personal injury lawyers can use their resources—such as connections and funding—to make your case impenetrable and impossible to deny.
When you choose to hire a personal injury lawyer for your case, you’re basically guaranteeing more money than you would ever be able to get on your own—even after fees!
Learn more: What Car Accident Damages Can An Attorney Help Me Recover?
Working with a Personal Injury Lawyer: Timeline
A personal injury lawsuit can take anywhere from a few months to even a few years. Here’s a brief timeline of what you can expect from start to finish.
Initial Consultation: Your lawsuit will start with an initial consultation. During this consultation, you’ll be asked about your accident and resulting injuries. This consultation will help us determine whether or not you have a viable case.
Investigation: During our investigation of the accident, we’ll gather evidence, speak with eyewitnesses, hire expert witnesses, and review medical records and other documentation. This will help us build an iron-clad case to bring to the insurance company.
Filing the Lawsuit: Your lawsuit will be filed by a personal injury lawyer with years of experience. They’ll be able to answer any questions you may have throughout the process.
Negotiation: We’ll negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, ensuring that you get full and fair compensation for your damages. If they do not agree to pay a fair settlement, we’ll take your case to trial.
How to Find the Best Personal Injury Lawyer
Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad lawyers out there. Many lawyers take on tons of cases in quick succession and settle them early. These are called settlement mills, and they should be avoided at all costs.
Instead, you should choose a law firm like Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia. Our team will dedicate time, resources, and effort to your case, making sure that you get the most compensation possible. We’re not looking to settle quickly. We’re here to fight for you.
To make sure you’re choosing the best lawyer possible for your case, you should:
- Make sure they have experience in your specific field. If you’re hiring a car accident lawyer, make sure they’ve worked on car accident cases before
- Ask questions! Learn about their communication style, experience, past results, and more
Contact Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia to Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney About Your Potential Case
If you or someone you love has been injured in a personal injury accident, our team of experienced personal injury lawyers are here to help you. To learn more about how we can help or to schedule a free case evaluation, please contact us online or at (800) 320-HELP.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we only get paid if you do. When we win your case, and you receive a settlement offer, we take a percentage of that payment—often much more than you would have received without a lawyer.
How long does a personal injury case take?
Personal injury cases can take anywhere from a few months to a few years. The negotiation process can be long, as insurance companies are often stubborn. Your attorney will be able to give you more information about the length of your case.
Can I represent myself in a personal injury case?
You can always choose to represent yourself in a personal injury case, but it’s unlikely that you’ll receive enough compensation to cover all the damages you’ve experienced. However, you can take measures to protect your claim. For example, taking steps after a pedestrian accident to document the scene and seek medical care can help your case in the long-run.
How do I know if I have a valid personal injury case?
If you’re curious about whether or not you have a valid personal injury case, speak with one of our experienced attorneys. We offer a free case evaluation, where we can determine whether or not you have a valid case.
