Personal injury lawyers specialize in fighting for compensation on behalf of people that have been injured due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness. Examples of culprits can include employers or government authorities. People may seek personal injury claims after being involved in a medical, road or workplace accident to give just a few examples. They turn to personal injury lawyers in order to get the justice that they deserve. The compensation arising from a personal injury claim can cover various things, including loss of earnings, money spent on rehabilitation and the pain and suffering that they endured because of the accident. Some people may take action after a loved one dies due to negligence or carelessness. Personal injury lawyers work with insurance companies and any responsible parties in order to seek justice on behalf of their clients.
Keeping You in the Loop
A great deal of lawyers work on a no-win no fee or contingency fee basis. This means that if the claim is not successful, the lawyer is not paid. The client still has to pay for things such as court fees. Some personal injury lawyers focus on very specific fields such as road accident claims for instance. Some fields can be incredibly complex, which explains why specialist lawyers are needed. Changes in legislation can occur all the time, so lawyers need to constantly be aware of any developments that may be relevant to their work.
Choosing a Lawyer
To find a personal injury lawyer, potential clients can take a series of steps. They may decide to look online for reviews or recommendations, and may even ask friends or family members to point them in the right direction. It can be wise to draw up a shortlist of potential lawyers before choosing one. This helps you to find someone that you can trust. You’ll be working closely alongside your lawyer for a great deal of time, so it’s important to find someone who understands you and your needs. It’s advisable to meet your potential lawyer at least twice before you decide to sign up with them. The best lawyers always keep you up-to-date with developments as they happen and won’t leave you in the dark. Most lawyers will have several cases to take care of at once, but this shouldn’t mean that the service you are offered should be compromised. Patience is important, but you should still expect a good standard of communication.
Some Facts and Figures
There have been some statistics released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics on personal injury law suits that make for some interesting reading.
Automotive and automobile accidents accounted for the majority of personal injury lawsuits with over 50 % and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) say there are 6 million car collisions annually resulting in 3 million injuries and 40,000 deaths.
Automobile accident Lawsuits also have the highest success rate with over 60 % of automotive accident accidents being successful with one of the lowest being clinical negligence and medical malpractice at just under 20%.
Although automotive accidents account for the majority of all lawsuits and have the highest success rate they also have the lowest average pay-out award with only $16,000 opposed to something like product liability which has an average pay-out award of $748,000
Look for Integrity
Whilst there are undoubtedly some unscrupulous types working the profession, it’s generally accepted that the vast majority of lawyers have real integrity. Legislation in many states and territories means that lawyers aren’t permitted to engage in dubious practices, and they may lose their reputation if they do employ underhanded tactics. Personal injury compensation may never truly offset the pain and hardship caused by negligence, but it can pay for the treatment needed to overcome an injury. If you’re looking Kent based solicitors then Thomson Snell and Passmore may be able to assist you with you claim. To find out more information on personal injury you can visit TSP or our own site to learn more about a possible personal injury claim
