Tips For Dealing With Permanent Car Accident Injuries
While it can seem like a long process for accident victims to be paid what they are owed, some victims have injuries that never completely heal. It's not easy dealing with permanent accident injuries and it can mean your personal injury case gets more complex too. Read on and get some tips for when your accident injuries require on-going attention.
Beware of Settlement Offers
The more serious your injuries, the more anxious the at-fault driver's insurer will be to settle the case. Early settlement offers are often inadequate to cover the needs of a permanently disabled victim. Don't sign or agree to anything and don't even speak to the other side before you talk to a personal injury lawyer.
Get Some Help
The insurer for the other driver is not on your side. They only want to reduce the chances of paying a settlement. You will need someone who is on your side 100% and that understands how to cope with auto insurers. Talk to a personal injury attorney as soon as you can.
Don't Worry About Legal Fees
In many cases, your personal injury lawyer will begin working on your case for free. Contingency fee agreements allow victims to pay their lawyers when they win the settlement or judgment. If you don't win, no money is owed.
Understand Damages
The word damages has more than one meaning. Here, it means all the ways you've been harmed along with a dollar amount. For example, lost wages are a form of damages. If you are permanently disabled because of the car accident, damages are much greater. They could include not just medical expenses for the past and present but for the future too. Who knows how much more medical care you will need in the future as a result of your accident?
Understand Maximum Medical Improvement
You may need to undergo an exam to determine what your permanent injuries are. This exam places a time marker on the status of your health when it's judged to be at a plateau. When you are at maximum medical improvement, you are not expected to further improve.
Understanding Expert Witnesses
Your lawyer will need to know how much money to ask for if you are permanently disabled. Experts in the medical, vocational, and financial field will examine your case to assist in that quest. Those experts might also testify at your trial.
Speak to a personal injury attorney and find out more about what to do if you have a permanent injury.