If you’ve been injured by another person, corporation, or organization, hiring a personal injury attorney can greatly benefit your claim. This is especially important if you’re dealing with medical bills, insurance companies, or significant injuries.
What You Should Know About Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury claims arise from the careless or negligent acts of another person or organization. A personal injury case allows an injured victim to hold the responsible party legally accountable for the harm caused.
Common personal injury claims include car and bike accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, nursing home abuse, and more. Damages that may be recoverable in a personal injury lawsuit can include pain and suffering, medical costs, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, loss of consortium (loss of society and companionship), and punitive damages, among others. (Learn more about personal injury claims here.)
While personal injury cases can go to trial, most settle before a lawsuit is even filed. Even if a case does go to trial, many settle before the trial concludes. In fact, most personal injury law firms are not staffed with trial lawyers, so if a case goes to trial, they may need to hand it off to another firm. Habush Habush & Rottier, however, has more trial lawyers on staff than any other personal injury law firm in Wisconsin.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
- Focus on You: Personal injury claims can be stressful. Hiring an attorney means you don’t have to handle the stress of the litigation process. Your lawyer will fight for you while you focus on improving your health, getting back to work, or repairing your car.
- Avoid the Headaches: Experienced injury lawyers know how to spot potential pitfalls and red flags related to injury claims, like statutes of limitations. For example, if a government employee hits you with their car, you must file a notice of claim within 120 days. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney will be aware of this requirement and take the necessary actions.
- Negotiate a Fair Settlement: An experienced personal injury attorney can increase your settlement value. They’ll work to get you more compensation from the defendant while minimizing your costs.
- Boost Trial Value: An experienced injury attorney can also increase your trial value. Insurance companies know that if you choose to represent yourself, you likely won’t know how to file a lawsuit properly. As a result, they may offer you much less than you deserve.
- Get the Value of Your Case: An experienced personal injury attorney understands the true value of your case. At Habush Habush & Rottier, for instance, our attorneys have handled thousands of personal injury cases in Wisconsin. This extensive experience allows us to accurately assess the value of your injury claim, calculate the lifelong costs of your injury, and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
- Have Someone on Your Side: Insurance companies want to minimize their expenses, often offering low settlements to underpay your claim. A personal injury attorney will represent you against the insurance companies, fighting for your rights and guiding you through the claims process.
When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
It’s important to reach out to an injury attorney immediately after you’re injured, as some cases have quick deadlines. For example, in Wisconsin, if someone runs you off the road but doesn’t hit you, you must file a police report right away.
Contacting an attorney early ensures that evidence is collected in a timely manner and that time limits and statutes of limitations are considered. For instance, a data recorder should be collected promptly after a car accident.
Although it’s essential to contact an attorney soon after your injury, an experienced personal injury attorney will typically wait until you’ve reached a “healing plateau” before starting settlement discussions. Waiting until you’re fully recovered or until doctors can provide long-term expectations ensures that you don’t settle prematurely when your injury may not be fully understood. This guarantees that you receive the compensation you truly deserve. Keep in mind that once you sign a settlement agreement, you cannot go back for more money later, no matter the nature of your injury.
If you need a personal injury attorney, contact one of our attorneys at Habush Habush & Rottier. We offer free case evaluations and are here to help you navigate the process.t until you’ve reached a “healing plateau” to start settlement talks. Waiting until you’re 100% better, or until you’re in a position where doctors can tell you what to expect in the future, ensures you don’t settle too early, when you may still have an injury. This ensures you get the compensation you deserve. Remember — once you sign a settlement agreement, there is no way to go back and try to get additional money later – regardless of the nature of your injury.
