When we have suffered an accident, a priori, it may not seem so obvious to us the reasons why we have to count on the help of a lawyer when making a claim. The reality, however, is quite different because according to data provided by the most prestigious personal injury law firms, most people who file a claim on their own must repeat the process after having been reviewed by an attorney or they could have obtained a higher compensation.
We have to keep in mind that, in addition to the drafting of documents and basic guidance on the case, a lawyer will be essential for the following issues:
Gather information about the case and analyze to whom the claim should be addressed.
Undoubtedly, being able to prove whose liability is the most complicated issue in this type of case. With the exception of dog bite or medical malpractice cases, traffic accident cases involving one or more drivers or cases in which intoxication has occurred due to exposure to a defective drug or product pose difficulties in determining who should be directly liable and therefore responsible for paying compensation, as the numerous parties involved may or may not share liability. In these cases, the lawyer’s task is to argue who is legally responsible and, if necessary, to claim compensation from them.
In this sense, the role of lawyers is also focused on mediating between the parties involved or their insurance companies to try to reach an agreement and avoid at all costs going to trial, which tends to lengthen the process and increase the costs of the same.
For this reason, if you have arrived here because you need to start a claim process, the most advisable thing to do is to contact an expert lawyer first of all. To do so, it is simply necessary to type in the place where you are, philly injury lawyer, for example, to have quick access to the law firms that provide services in your area.
2. Gather all necessary documentation and file the claim on time.
This is the second major task of lawyers in this type of case, to determine all the documents that must be included to justify the different assumptions that would increase the amount of compensation. Among these documents may be necessary:
- Invoices for medical and psychological treatments.
- Invoices for medications needed as a result of the accident.
- Injury report that determines the severity of the injuries, in order to obtain compensation for pain and suffering.
- Insurance papers of each of the persons involved and affected.
- Employment contract in case the accident has occurred at work, as well as the occupational risk prevention document.
Once all these documents are attached, the claim may be made, through our lawyer, within a period of up to three years from the time the incident occurred and will be received within a period not exceeding two months.
