Do You Need A Lawyer?

In order to protect the rights of those who have been affected by another person’s negligence, many issues must be carefully considered and addressed. Each case requires a thorough understanding of state and federal statutes, and how they relate to your case. Failure to understand and properly address these issues could result in you losing the right to make a claim.

Examples of what you need to do to properly file a claim:

Determine all possible sources of insurance including, liability insurance, medical payment coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, health insurance, disability insurance, and more. Unless you have a thorough knowledge and understanding of insurance law, it is difficult to determine all possible sources. After determining potential sources of benefits from the various insurance coverages, steps must be taken to ensure that all deadlines and requirements are met to secure compensation from these policies. Failure to meet these requirements may result in losing these benefits. Unless you are familiar with insurance law, it is extremely difficult to determine the deadlines and coordinate the requirements which are vital in order to maximize the value of your claim.

Determine that statute of limitations, which is the time limit in which a claim or notice must be filed in court in order to protect your rights. Although a notice is filed in court, that does not mean you will go to trial. In fact, most cases settle without the need to go to trial. The filing of the notice is required in order to protect your rights to bring a claim against the wrongdoer. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the loss of the right to file a claim.

Analyze the facts of your case and develop a strategy for the best way to present these facts. Knowledge of applicable laws and case studies is required in order to secure fair compensation for your claim.

Determine the full extent of the injuries sustained. This may include pain and suffering, current and future cost of medical care, current and future lost wages, and much more.

Determine the types of damages applicable to your claim – do you have punitive damages as well as compensatory damages?

Make sure all evidence is preserved. This will include taking photographs of the scene, vehicles, injuries, securing witness statements, and so forth. Failure to do so risks losing information that might be valuable to your claim. The longer to wait, the greater chance this information will be lost.

Determine the fair value of your claim. This is based on many factors pertaining to your case only. It is unreasonable and unfair to compare your car accident to someone else’s car accident when trying to determine the value of your claim. Available insurance, wage loss, medical costs, therapy, property damage, injuries sustained and many other factors are taken into consideration when determining fair value of a claim.

If you are unsure about how to answer any of the above points, you should contact an attorney. The majority of law firms offer free consultations, which means they will speak with you for free about your case. Calling a law firm or meeting with an attorney does not mean you have to hire an attorney. There is no risk to speak with an attorney, and when you decide to hire an attorney you should feel good about knowing your rights will be protected.

“Our staff is happy to handle every aspect of your claim. We can take care of the complicated legal issues so you don’t have to worry. We will fight for you, protect your rights, and work hard to get the compensation you are entitled to.”

Louis Khourey & Jonathan Turak
Gold, Khourey & Turak