Common Questions Personal Injury Attorneys Receive. If you were recently hurt in an accident brought on by another person?s negligent or reckless actions, you might be wondering what kind of recourse is available. Luckily, the law aims to protect people in your situation by allowing victims to file personal injury claims. In this case, you can work with a Utah personal injury lawyer to seek compensation against the liable party for your physical, financial, mental, and emotional damages.?
But if you?ve never taken legal action before, the process might seem overwhelming, and you?ll likely have a lot of questions for your attorney. To help you prepare, the following guide answers a few of the most common queries lawyers receive from their clients. That way, you?re even more informed before your first consultation.?
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Top 4 Personal Injury FAQs
1. What is my claim worth?
Unfortunately, your lawyer won?t be able to provide an exact monetary amount during your first consultation. However, they will be able to give you a rough ballpark or, at the very least, an idea of what kinds of damages you might be eligible to seek. These often include medical care costs, property damage, loss of income, loss of future earning potential, psychiatric care, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.?
These are calculated by adding up all the money spent thus far treating your injuries, as well as what you can expect to spend in the future. Your attorney will also include any money you lost due to not being able to work, as well as the money you may potentially lose in the future either due to needing to switch careers or because you can?t work at all.??
2. How long do I have to file?
Every state has a time restriction on how long you have to file a personal injury claim. This is known as the statute of limitations, and it typically starts either from the date of the accident or from the date of your discovered injuries. In Utah, the statute of limitations is four years.?
3. Will my case go to court?
It?s actually rather rare for a personal injury claim to end up in court in front of a judge. In most cases, your attorney will work to settle the claim outside of court with the other party?s lawyer. However, they will only do this if they believe it will provide you with the full value of your claim. If not, they will push to have the case taken up before a judge.?
4. What kind of evidence will you need to build my case?
Unfortunately, in personal injury law, the burden of proof falls on the victim. That means your lawyer will have to collect ample evidence for two things. The first is that the accident was, in fact, brought on by the other party. To do this, they?ll collect things like statements from eyewitnesses, police reports, photographs, and video footage.
Next, they?ll need to prove that your damages are as severe as you say they are. To do this, they?ll request copies of all medical reports, documents and bills, as well as any photographic or video evidence you might have of your injuries. They might also request tax or bank statements, as well as testimonies from expert witnesses like doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists, financial advisors, and experts from your field of work.
Preparing to Move Forward
Although it may seem overwhelming, preparing to file a personal injury claim is more than manageable with the help of an attorney. They will guide you through every step of the process and advocate on your behalf to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
