Whether it’s the result of a car or motorcycle collision, slip and fall, on-the-job accident, or consumer product defect, personal injury lawsuits are among the most common reasons people seek out legal representation. At Debranski & Associates we’ve seen it all over the years, representing clients in all manner of scenarios and fighting to get our clients the best settlement possible. And while every personal injury case is different, there are a few major tips to keep in mind in almost any case when you’ve decided it’s time to file suit:
Get Medical Treatment and Legal Documentation Immediately
This is going to come in very handy later. Were you in a car accident? Make sure you call the police at the scene and follow up to get a copy of their report. Did you have to go to the hospital to treat your injuries? Make sure to keep records of your visits, treatments, medications, etc. Whether your case goes to trial or is decided in pre-trial litigation, your case is going to be much stronger if you have impartial, professional documentation to back up your claim instead of just your word versus theirs.
People Who Retain Lawyers Tend to Win Larger Settlements
You may be tempted to go it alone against a plaintiff or an insurance company, and that’s certainly your right! But study after study shows that people who hire lawyers to represent them tend to receive substantially larger settlements than people who navigate cases on their own. This study by the Insurance Research Council, for instance, found that plaintiffs with legal representation in auto injury cases received as much as 3.5 times larger settlements than those without representation. Simply put, an experienced attorney like those in our practice have been around the block a few times with insurance companies, employers, and negligent drivers and have a realistic idea of the kind of compensation you can expect.
Move Quickly If You Want to Hire an Attorney
Aside from the peace of mind from having an attorney on your side, moving quickly has a few distinct legal advantages. If you wait months or even weeks it becomes increasingly difficult to track down witnesses, preserve evidence, locate records, and so on. People’s memories can fade quickly, and if you don’t act fast the particulars of your case can slip through the cracks and make it that much harder for you and your attorney to build a strong case.
It Costs Nothing Upfront to Consult With One of Our Attorneys
Debranski & Associates, like many attorneys in this field, work on a contingency fee basis. That means that we don’t get paid until you get paid, so it won’t cost you anything to get an idea of the strength of your case, or even to file or litigate. If it turns out this isn’t how you’d like to proceed, that’s fine. But, more likely than not, you’ll see the advantages of retaining counsel to get the settlement you deserve.
Stay off Social Media
You’ve probably heard this kind of advice when it comes to applying for a job or starting out on a new relationship, but it cannot be overstated how detrimental social media can be to your personal injury claim. Even innocuous posts and pictures can be misconstrued, so it’s best to tighten up the security controls on your accounts or forego personal posts altogether while you’re in litigation. The last thing you need when filing suit over a devastating injury claim is for a defendant’s lawyers to find a picture of you enjoying yourself at a party or complaining about details of the case that are in dispute. It’s best to keep conversations about your case between you and your attorney and not leave anything on the internet that can be used against you, even in bad faith.
Ready to file your personal injury claim? Reach out to us today. Debranski & Associates has spent years fighting for our clients in the North Metro Atlanta area and we can’t wait to get you the settlement you deserve.