If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, your first step after receiving medical care might be to consult with a lawyer. You may have heard that personal injury lawyers are the ones to call after an accident when negligence was the cause. Most personal injury firms advertise that they will represent your best interests in court and fight for the compensation you deserve- but what exactly does that mean?

We Are The Voice Of The Injured

Despite what many believe, personal injury lawyers are not your average attorneys. Personal injury lawyers advocate for individuals and families at one of the worst times in their lives. They are a beacon of hope for victims who have been wrongfully injured, and whose lives may be altered forever after an accident.

When someone experiences a catastrophic injury, a personal injury lawyer is focused on your rights as well as your well being. They understand the life-long effects serious injuries can have on an individual, and they are not afraid to step outside of the box to seek justice on your behalf.

Personal Injury Attorneys Play Different Roles

While personal injury attorneys can secure you the compensation you deserve after an accident, this is by far the only job they take on. Committed to advocating and empowering individuals who have been wrongfully injured, personal injury lawyers take on several different functions throughout the legal process:

Informing Clients of Their Legal Rights

Experienced personal injury lawyers are well versed in civil law and can explain your legal rights in a language that is easy to understand. One accident can have several different claims depending on the circumstances, and personal injury lawyers will pursue each one to determine the total cost of damages in your case.

It’s easy to label someone as ‘wrong’ for causing an injury to someone else. But that’s not enough to file a lawsuit. In order to prove negligence, your attorney must be able to show which rights were violated in your case and how. This requires personal injury lawyers to delve deep into every accident to determine how best to inform clients of their rights to justice.

Counseling Clients on The Process

There are several actions clients take after an accident that can jeopardize the success of their claim, even when obvious negligence is present. Most individuals wouldn’t think twice about talking about their injury, particularly when it comes to posting on social media- that’s another benefit of having a personal injury attorney.

Personal injury lawyers provide critical advice to accident victims on what to do and what not to do after an accident. Steps to take before filing a claim may include keeping records, securing documentation, and following up with doctors. While actions to avoid could include posting details on your social media, contacting the negligent party, or providing any statement without consulting with your lawyer first.

Staying On Top Of Deadlines

Each personal injury claim has a separate process and statute of limitations that must be followed to file successfully. Personal injury attorneys keep track of all these deadlines to ensure requirements are fulfilled in a timely manner.

According to the New York State Unified Court System, a personal injury victim has three years to file a claim. Filing after this time will result in an automatic dismissal no matter how serious the accident.

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

Clients who are injured in incidents such as a car accident may have to go head-to-head with insurance companies that are not always there to help. Most insurance companies are teaming with experts ready to fight claims or find reasons not to pay out the full benefit a client deserves.

Personal injury attorneys are known for standing up to insurance companies to protect clients from the common mistakes that end in denied claims. These attorneys have seen time and again the tricks insurance companies use to reduce maximum rewards and will negotiate terms for their clients to avoid them.

Trial Preparation

Settlements are common in personal injury cases, but some circumstances do require a case to go to trial. This is when personal injury attorneys set down their litigation responsibilities and put on their trial hats.

Some of the most successful personal injury attorneys in the country are also trial attorneys. These professionals, well versed in personal injury law, aggressively pursue cases in court in the best interest of the clients. The best personal injury attorney also prepares their clients for the hardships trial can bring, providing support and guidance throughout the proceedings.

Personal Injury Duties That May Surprise You

Personal injury lawyers are unlike many other attorneys in the industry. These are not the lawyers you see on television, sitting at their desks and waiting for the phone to ring. These advocates are out in their community, getting involved in local change, and fighting for their clients at every turn.

Take a look at some of the more surprising duties personal injury lawyers take on that put them ahead of the rest:

Becoming Medically Informed

The majority of personal injury cases involve some sort of physical injury. So not only do personal injury lawyers possess an excellent understanding of serious injuries, but they also connect with dozens of medical specialists who can break them down.

Personal injury attorneys develop valuable relationships with physicians in the process of sorting through the physical aspects of a case. These physicians help to determine the severity of an injury and the most likely cause. Knowing so many professionals in the medical field is also beneficial for clients who are looking for referrals on their road to recovery.

Investigating and Gathering Evidence

Personal injury lawyers are similar to detectives when it comes to your case. It takes a significant amount of evidence and facts to prove negligence after an accident, and not all of them are easy to find.

Accident scenic that occur in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and on Staten Island are susceptible to the fast-paced NYC traffic. Evidence can be cleared away almost instantly, and witnesses may be gone before a claim begins.

Personal injury attorneys have a team of resources, including professional investigators, accident reconstruction experts, and police officers, who are ready to sort through the details of an accident. This support helps personal injury lawyers interview witnesses and find hidden information pertaining to the case that would often be missed if someone was not looking closely.

Maximizing Rewards

Personal injury cases are always evolving, but the statute of limitations for each claim is not. The overall impact of an injury on a client may not be fully noticeable until years after an injury. However, injury claims cannot sit around for this long before they are filed.

Personal injury attorneys understand the global implications an accident can have on an individual’s life. Their ability to assess a situation and not focus on just the immediate impact of an accident allows them to maximize a reward to cover damages related to financial costs, such as lost wages and medical bills, as well as social, emotional, and psychological losses.

When You Need A Personal Injury Attorney

As outstanding as personal injury lawyers can be, not every case is a good fit for this type of law. If you or a loved has experienced any of the following accidents, contacting a personal injury attorney can be extremely beneficial in your recovery:

  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Bicycle Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Slip and Fall Accidents
  • Dog Bites
  • Workplace Accidents
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Product Malfunctions

Catastrophic injuries that resulted in the wrongful death of a loved one due to a negligent accident may also qualify for a personal injury claim. This can include construction accidents, criminal activity, vehicle accidents, or almost any other scenario.

New York City and Long Island Accident Attorneys

Our personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Siler & Ingber, have over 20 years of experience serving clients across New York City and Long Island. We protect your rights by maximizing recovery and securing the financial support our clients need to succeed on their road to recovery. Our winning attorneys know how to navigate through the claim process using our past experience as insurance defense attorneys. We are not afraid to fight and are fully prepared to take your case to trial to get a justified verdict over settling for less.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another, our team at Siler & Ingber are here to help. With a 98% success rate, we have the experience and the know-how to help our clients achieve a favorable outcome. Contact us today at 1-877-LAW-4343, or schedule an appointment online anytime. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you.

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