Anyone who’s been injured in workplace, traffic or construction accidents knows what it’s like to have their lives turned upside suddenly and without warning. They will find themselves dealing with painful injuries and possibly also hospitalization, while worrying about their families, jobs and bills. At a time like this, it helps to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side, to advise you on your legal options. If the injury was caused by another person or party, it may be possible to file a personal injury lawsuit to claim compensation for injuries suffered and income loss.
What is a personal injury?
A personal injury claim arises when someone has been injured, in traffic or construction accidents, and if the injury was due to the actions or negligence of another party. Personal injury claims can also arise from medical malpractice, workplace injuries, and product liability. A sizable proportion of personal injury lawsuits arise from injuries sustained in traffic accidents.
Traffic accidents unfortunately are all too common, and they can be deadly.
The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) keeps track of these, and its figures show that 37,000 people die in the U.S. in road crashes each year. While accidents can be caused by many different factors such as weather, traffic conditions, and driver error, distracted and drunk driving play a major role in adding to their numbers.
Do you need a lawyer?
Drunk and distracted driving are a major cause of traffic accidents. In just one year, in 2015, more than 1.1 million people were arrested around the country for driving while drunk or under the influence of narcotics. Distracted driving, due to cell phones or other electronic devices, is another major cause of accidents.
Someone who has been injured in a traffic or construction accident can bring a personal claim against the person or parties responsible for the accident. However, it can be very difficult to handle all the paperwork without help from an experienced personal injury lawyer. Only about 5% of all personal injury cases are brought to trial. The rest are settled out of court. Personal injury lawyers have the training and experience to obtain the best possible settlement to compensate for the injuries suffered.
When to file a personal injury claim
Most states have a statute of limitations, which limits the time within which a personal injury claim can be filed. This can be anywhere from one to three years. A personal injury attorney will be best able to advise a client about the right time to file a claim. Sometimes secondary injuries manifest months after the accident. Since the amount of compensation depends on the nature and extent of injuries, it may be worth waiting to file, while remaining within the statutory filing period.
Experienced personal injury attorneys can help accident victims with these and similar decisions in filing and negotiating personal injury claims. For someone dealing with the aftermath of an accident, sound legal advice and help can be a source of support as they struggle to put their lives back together.
Injuries due to workplace, traffic, or construction accidents can completely disrupt your life. At such a time, it helps to have legal help and support to help you to file for and receive the compensation due for your injuries. This can be a big step toward getting your life back on track.