Personal injury
Personal injury is the name given to the branch of tort law that covers any wrong or damage done to another in his person, property, rights, or reputation. A personal injury can happen at work, in a traffic accident, because of a faulty product or a faulty repair, because of a mistake during medical treatment, or because you slipped and fell on a wet floor or pavement. The injury can be physical or psychological but, to be considered actionable, it must occur due to the negligence or unreasonably unsafe actions of your employer, a manufacturer, your doctor, your landlord, or some other person or organization who owes you a duty of ordinary care. Examples of personal injury causes of action include negligence, professional malpractice, wrongful death, libel, slander, trespass, and nuisance. Our lawyers have experience going against and working for powerful insurance companies which better allow you to reach maximum recovery on each of your individual matters.
Consulting with a Personal Injury Lawyer
It can be a waste of time for both you and the lawyer if you are not prepared for your first meeting. The lawyer will want to know who you are and how you can be contacted, and a little about your personal background. Sometimes, a lawyer will also try to make a first meeting more productive by sending you a questionnaire to fill out. If this happens, be sure to fill it out and send it in to the lawyer’s office before the meeting. Also send along copies of any available documents that may be requested in the questionnaire.
Written documentation of your injury and damages is especially important in a personal injury setting. Even if a lawyer doesn’t ask for documentation beforehand, it’s still a good idea to bring a copy of all documents relevant to your situation to the meeting:
- Copies of police reports or accident reports detailing your injury
- Copies of hospital, doctor and therapy records
- Bills from medical care providers
- Information regarding insurance coverage of your medical bills
- Reports from doctors regarding your diagnosis and prognosis
- Information about anticipated future medical costs
- Information regarding work you missed as a result of your injury
- A listing of all the ways your life has been affected by your injury
- A calendar, with all the important dates (date of injury, dates of surgery or other treatment and so forth)
- A description of any interaction with insurance companies
- Copies of correspondence with insurance companies
- Copies of any claims already filed with your employer or an insurance company