How Serious Does Your Injury Need to Be to Contact a Law Firm

Every year, there are nearly 25 million physician office visits due to unintentional injuries. From slips and falls to car accidents to defective products, many things can cause personal injuries, which occur due to no fault of the injured person. 

Have you been injured in an accident that was caused by the negligence or wrongful act of another person? If that is the case, you should consider speaking with an injury law firm. You might not think your injury is serious enough, but a personal injury lawyer will know best. 

Don’t use your limited legal expertise to make that decision contact an attorney to let them evaluate your case. Read on to learn more about when your injury is severe enough to contact an attorney.

You Have Long-Term or Permanent Injuries

This one is obvious. If you have severe injuries resulting in permanent and total disability, then you need to contact an attorney. It is likely you will not be able to return to work, possibly ever, so you need to ensure that you have an adequate settlement for any future medical care, therapies, or special medical equipment needed.

You’ll also need to account for any lost wages over your lifetime. You will likely underestimate what a fair claim is, so you should consult with an attorney to put a value on your claim. 

Your Injuries Are Minor, But the Insurance Company Denies Your Claim 

Insurance companies want to settle fast and they want to settle for as little money as possible. As a result, they often look for ways to deny your insurance claim. Even if your injuries are minor, you are still entitled to compensation if the accident was not your fault and was due to the negligence or unlawful act of another person. 

You don’t need serious injuries to contact an attorney, especially if the insurance company tries to deny your claim or offers you a settlement amount that is less than fair. Even minor injuries can result in significant medical costs (the average cost of a visit to an emergency room is over $1,000 and many health insurance companies will deny these claims if they result from a car accident, as they want car insurance to pay). 

Your Injuries Are Minor, But Liability Is Unclear 

Another situation where you may need to contact an injury law firm is if your injuries are minor, but the liability is unclear, or there are multiple liable parties. 

Figuring out who is liable is often difficult, especially if multiple parties are involved in an accident. The police will attempt to determine this, but the insurance companies also will want to assign liability, because if multiple parties are liable, they are only responsible for a portion of any claims resulting from the accident. 

An experienced accident law firm will know how to investigate an accident to determine liability and ensure that the insurance companies of all of the responsible parties pay their share of the car accident damages.

Minor Injuries May Turn Into Serious Injuries 

The adrenaline that is surging after an accident may mask the extent of your injuries, causing you to underestimate how injured you are. It’s also possible that doctors misjudge your injuries, and they turn out to be more severe or more long-term than they were initially believed to be. 

If you accept a settlement based on these perceived minor injuries, you can’t change your mind later. Once you accept a settlement, you give up your right to file any future claims regarding that particular accident. A lawyer will help you know when the time is right to accept a settlement and will make sure you know the full extent of your injuries before you sign anything. 

You May Be Entitled to Damages for Pain and Suffering 

Your physical injuries could be minor, but your emotional and psychological injuries could be severe. Some states allow accident victims to get damages for pain and suffering, which you may be entitled to. 

Pain and suffering could be awarded if you can demonstrate that the accident had a significant negative impact on your mental health and ability to live your day-to-day life. 

You Have “Hard” Injuries

Insurance adjusters typically categorize accident injuries into one of two categories: hard or soft. 

Soft injuries, or soft tissue injuries, are those that involve muscles and soft connective tissue. Think sprained knees, back, or neck. These injuries are often not permanent and while they are painful, they aren’t considered serious by most insurance adjusters. 

Hard injuries, on the other hand, are viewed as more serious, and as a result, you can often get higher damages for them. Hard injuries include: 

• Broken bones
• Head injuries 
• Spine injuries
• Wounds
• Separations, dislocations, and ligament or cartilage tears 

If You Sustain Any Injuries At All: Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm 

The takeaway message from this article should be that if you sustain any injuries at all in an accident, you should contact a personal injury law firm. They are the legal experts who know what cases are worth and which are worth fighting for. Even if you don’t think you have a strong case, get a legal opinion before you make any decisions that will hurt you down the road. 

Most attorneys will provide a free case consultation, so the only thing you are out of is your time. 

If you’re ready to discuss your case, contact us at Sweet Lawyers today.