Have you suffered a severe injury when you were bumped by a car while biking in your neighborhood? Were you involved in an accident in your workplace, but your employer does not want to help you? You have the right to be compensated for the damages and injuries you suffered. However, if a responsible party is not willing to compromise, you may hire personal injury lawyer services to pursue your claims in court.
Personal injuries are one of the most litigated civil cases in the United States. If you are a victim, you should pursue a claim to get fair compensation for your expenses and suffering. Furthermore, whether you want to settle or go to trial, it is best to seek the services of a licensed lawyer to secure the appropriate damages you should receive.
Types of Damages in Civil Lawsuits
If you go to trial, the court may award monetary amounts corresponding to the injuries you suffered if proven that the defendant is guilty of wrongful misconduct. Here are some of the significant damages which can be awarded by the courts:
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Nominal damages
– These awards are small monetary amounts given to you if you suffered no substantial losses or injuries but experienced an invasion of rights.
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Compensatory damages
– The court will award you a fair amount to cover your expenses and other losses due to the wrongful actions of the defendant.
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Punitive damages
– These damages aim to punish the defendant due to grievous and unreasonable conducts rather than to compensate for your injuries and losses.
Questions You Should Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer Before Hiring
You may find it hard to secure just compensation for your expenses and injuries by yourself. Whether you go for trial or negotiate a settlement, you need personal injury lawyer services to determine and secure the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. To find the right attorney for your case, here are some questions you should ask before asking him or her to represent you:
- What are your experiences in handling personal injury cases like mine, and what are your success rates? Make sure your lawyer has the experience and successful results in dealing with cases like yours.
- What are the possible compensations I may receive, as well as my potential costs, including your fees? Ensure your potential attorney can provide realistic calculations of your potential damages and expenses. Also, know how he will be compensated for his services.
- How long will it take to achieve a resolution to my case? Ask your lawyer about the timetable of your case to decide whether to settle or go to trial.
- What amount of your time can you commit to my claim? Make sure your lawyer can focus on your lawsuit.
- If we lose, what are the possible case-related expenses I will shoulder, if any? Know your liabilities if you lose your claim.
- What are the things I can contribute to the trial? Ask about the things you need to prepare to increase your chances of success.
- Can you provide some of your previous clients as references? Make sure to conduct a background check of your potential lawyer. Ask whether you can talk to former clients to have a better idea of the quality of his/her services.
Pursuing a personal injury claim to the court can be daunting and stressful. Make sure to choose an excellent lawyer you are comfortable working with to increase your chances of success. Ask the above questions to help you find the right attorney to advance your case.
I like your suggestion to ask how much time they’ll commit to our case to make sure they’ll be able to focus on it. My husband was hit by a driver talking on the phone at an intersection last week and we want to hire an accident attorney to help us prove that he wasn’t at fault. Thanks for teaching me what kinds of questions to ask to decide what accident lawyer to hire!
It’s good to know that you should ask them about their experience. My sister was telling me a couple of nights ago about how she is wanting to look into finding a personal injury attorney to help her with her car accident that caused an injury to her leg a couple of weeks ago, and she wants to make sure that she can find the right one to help her. I’ll make sure to pass these tips along to her so that she can know what to look for when searching for an attorney.
Thank you for helping me to understand that it is important to ask about the timetable of the case when you are looking to hire a personal injury attorney. My mother was in a car accident a couple of days that resulted in her breaking her hip. She wants to hire a lawyer because she now will need to use crutches because of an accident that wasn’t her fault.
My mom was driving home last when suddenly a driver hit her car, and she had to be taken to the emergency room. I’m glad you explained what we should ask when interviewing a lawyer, so I’ll be sure to keep it in mind when we start meeting lawyers today. Thanks for the advice on asking for past references before hiring a personal injury lawyer.
I would like to hire a personal injury lawyer that will be able to help me out because I’m having a hard time claiming my insurance. I also agree with you that rates must be compared. Thank you for sharing the importance of opting for a lawyer who has court experience.