If you have been injured in an accident that is no fault of your own, you are likely entitled to financial compensation. Financial compensation, also known as damages, can cover any and all accident-related costs of medical treatment, medication, any needed physical therapy, property damage and even missed income due to recovery time and missing work. When it comes to traffic accident claims, there are the most common personal injury claims, and the most important thing you can do is to hire an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer to ensure you receive the largest compensatory amount possible.

Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

When it comes to hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your traffic accident claim, make sure you find one that is local to where the accident took place. ‘Negligence’ is the legal work for blame, and it is the single most important deciding factor when it comes to any kind of personal injury claim.

Negligence laws can vary from state to state as some follow contributory negligence laws while others favour comparative negligence laws. The main difference is that some state laws assert that if you have contributed at all to the cause of the accident, regardless of how small that contribution is, you might not be entitled to any kind of compensation for injuries sustained. In other states, negligence is shared and apportioned based on everyone’s role in the accident; in these states, a percentage of blame is assigned, and that percentage reflects how much compensation a person is entitled to.

Filing Your Claim

Your personal injury lawyer will assess your case and advise you on how best to proceed. They will give you a ballpark figure on what kind of compensation amount you can expect and will walk you through the entire process.

They will help you request any pertinent records such as your medical records and accident report. They will file any paperwork that needs to be filed and ensure that it is done correctly and on time.

Demand Letter

Your personal injury lawyer will also help you draft your demand letter. Your demand letter is a written letter written by the injured party (plaintiff) to the person who the claim is being made against (defendant). In the demand letter, the plaintiff documents their intention to file a claim and seek financial compensation.

Depending on how the defendant responds will determine how the claim will proceed from there. If they deny negligence or to settle, the claim can become a lawsuit, and then your attorney will prepare for litigation and tell you what to expect.