The words like “Personal Injury”, “Personal Injury Accident” “Personal Injury Claim” and “Personal Injury Attorney” are not very pleasant words to hear, say, read or write. Most people are not even comfortable becoming a part of conversations that involve these words.
But irrespective of how it makes you feel, you must acquire a decent amount of knowledge regarding personal injury accidents and claims. Now, you might ask, ‘Why, what is the point of learning about such unfortunate events?’. It’s a general human tendency to avoid talking about unpleasant and disturbing topics. Many people don’t even let the thoughts of such events stay in their minds for more than a few minutes.
Well, it makes sense not to think or talk about accidents and consequences thereof (In the context of personal injuries, the word ‘accidents’ implies more than just road accidents). However, accidents can take place at any time and at any place without giving any prior warning.
Therefore, you must be aware of the possible scenarios and outcomes of accidents that can lead to personal injuries. You should have at least a brief idea of how to respond in the situations wherein you or anyone else encounters a personal injury. A personal injury accident can take place due to either your fault or the fault of the other party. The other party involved in the accident can be a single person, a couple, or even a group of persons.
If you are not at fault, you should not be worried about the number of people involved or any other point, as relevant laws exist to provide justice to you. We will talk about the steps and precautions you can take when you get into an accident in which you are not to be blamed. We will also share information regarding how a Toledo personal injury lawyer can help you in such circumstances.
What are the Different Types of Personal Injury Accidents?
A personal injury accident is an accident that causes injuries to not just your body but also your mind. It might also cause damage to your property, depending on the type and severity of the accident. But as far as the term ‘personal injury’ is concerned in terms of law and the legal rights you possess when you are not at fault, the injuries caused to you are only considered. The damage that occurred to your property, vehicle, or any other possession is not considered (Other legal remedies are available for that).
Situations that come under the purview of personal injury accidents include but are not limited to pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, boating accidents, workplace injuries, medical negligence, medical malpractices, slip and fall accidents, neglect at nursing homes, neglect at child care centers, construction accidents, fires, dog bites, product liability, defamation, and wrongful death.
What are the Aftermaths of Personal Injury Accidents?
When you sustain physical and psychological wounds after getting into an accident, you suffer a lot in terms of both health and finance. You experience pain in one or more parts of your body. You might also get mentally disturbed because you have to break your daily routine. Instead of going to your workplace, you might have to go to a health facility.
Owing to injuries, you might not be able to return to work for a few days, weeks, or even months, depending on how badly you got injured. As a result, you have to face a loss of wages. You are not earning, but you still have to pay for the medical bills. You also have to pay for the cost incurred in commuting. Not to mention, the bills related to household expenses, education, and so on will also become due from time to time.
So, you have to deal with not only wounds but also financial burdens. On top of it, you might even experience trauma arising from the feeling that you have to go through hard times for no fault of yours. You can end up holding grudges against the other party and almost everyone else who doesn’t meet your expectations in such difficult circumstances.
What are Personal Injury Claims? How to File Them?
The victims (i.e., parties that are not at fault) of personal injury accidents have legal rights at their disposal to seek appropriate remedies. If you have been in an accident that didn’t occur due to your mistake or negligence, you can ask the other party to compensate for all kinds of sufferings you have encountered.
You can demand reimbursement of medical bills, missed paychecks, and much more from the at-fault party. The at-fault party is bound to compensate you for all your losses as per the law. They get the required amount from the insurer (insurance company) whose policy they might have bought in the past in order to stay prepared for such situations.
Therefore, the insurance company sends their adjuster who conducts discussions and negotiations with you. The primary motive of insurance adjusters is to convince victims to accept the lowest possible compensation amount. The reason behind the same is that the insurance companies try to see their benefit, and of course, their benefit lies in paying as little as possible.
When you present your personal injury claim to the other party and their insurer, they will negotiate the amount so that you get less amount than what you deserve. If you stick to your grounds, they will try to find evidence that they can use against you and even cause unnecessary delays.
Explaining your situation, trying to prove yourself innocent, and dealing with insurance paperwork might cause even more trouble. Your stress levels can increase during this whole process. If you don’t get fair compensation, you might fall into debt. You might find it difficult to get back to your routine life.
Thus, it’s advisable that you consult a personal injury attorney. Personal injury attorneys can provide the correct resolution just like doctors can provide the right treatment. An attorney can negotiate with the insurance adjuster of the at-fault party on your behalf. They will ensure that you get the compensation amount that you deserve in a fast and hassle-free manner.
Closing Statement
If you encounter an unfortunate event wherein you become a victim of a personal injury accident, you should not make delay in approaching a trustworthy personal injury attorney in Toledo.
