If you are hurt for any reason, it can be in your best interest to file a personal injury lawsuit. After presenting evidence to a jury, it will decide the types of compensation and the amount that you are entitled to. What are some ways to make sure that you get the most money from those who hurt you?
Use Your Leverage
Filing a personal injury lawsuit doesn’t mean that you have to wait for or rely on the jury’s verdict to get paid. Instead, you could use a trial as leverage to get liable parties to offer a stronger settlement offer. In some cases, the settlement could be worth more than what a jury would award or what a judge would consider fair.
Have an Attorney by Your Side
While you may pride yourself on your research skills, an attorney generally has a better understanding of the law than you do. Furthermore, a compensation lawyer likely has more experience inside of a courtroom than you do. Therefore, it stands to reason that your chances of getting maximum compensation in your case are better if you have legal counsel. It is also possible that counsel for opposing parties in the case will show more respect for you after obtaining an attorney.
Collect Compelling Evidence
It is difficult to get compensation if you can’t prove that an accident directly caused your injuries. It is also hard to get compensation if you can’t prove that negligence occurred. Evidence of negligence could include statements from whoever hurt you or a police report from the accident scene. Medical records can also be used to show that injuries were caused by the incident that led to the lawsuit.
Don’t Panic
After an accident, you may worry about how to pay your bills or otherwise provide for your kids. However, it is important that you let your attorney handle the case and not let moments of weakness cost you thousands of dollars or more. Assuming that the facts in the case are on your side, holding out can result in the payday that you are likely entitled to.
Depending on the circumstances in your personal injury case, it may be possible to get anywhere from $1,000 to $1 million in compensation. Consulting with an attorney and letting the legal process play out can be effective ways to maximize the amount of your settlement. Your attorney may also work to structure the award in a tax-efficient manner.
About the Author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her husky Snowball. You can find her on Twitter at @LizzieWeakley and on Facebook at facebook.com/lizzie.weakley.
