If you’ve recently been injured, it can be a difficult, confusing, and often stressful time. You’re focusing on recovery, feeling better, and getting back to a healthy state. But even while you’re dealing with those setbacks, you’ll want to think about a possible personal injury claim.
If you believe you might have a personal injury claim on your hands, here are the first steps you need to do:
Get Medical Attention
Regardless of the circumstances of your fall or injury, you won’t want to think about anything else until you get the care you need. Your health is always the most important thing, so before you begin thinking about a lawsuit, see a doctor, get some rest, and make sure you can make as full of a recovery as possible.
Take Notes
Once you ensure your health is taken care of, begin taking notes about the accident and what you did after the injury. Be sure to detail how the accident happened and what damage was caused. If you can take photographs to prove this, it is advised to do so.
You should also record the details of any witnesses or individuals around you that saw the accident. Also, take notes outlining any conversations you had about the accident. This should help your case.
Detail Expenses
You will want to know how much the accident cost you, so be sure to keep records of all expenses and lost wages due to the accident. Include the cost of medications, treatments, surgeries, and your hospital stays as well as the amount of money that was lost due to missing days at work.
Let the Claim Be Known
If you plan on filing a personal injury claim, you shouldn’t keep it a secret. You will want to let the people involved in the suit know that you are planning to file a claim.
You will also want to discuss the claim with any witnesses that were there. Getting their account and asking if they will talk to a lawyer on your behalf can help support your claim.
While following these steps, there are a few things you will want to know before you can claim a personal injury case.
There is no time restriction, but don’t take your time.
If you plan to file a personal injury claim, there is no set amount of time that you will need to let those involved in the accident know that you are going to make a claim. That being said, the faster you inform them of the claim, the more quickly the process can be resolved and completed.
Let anyone involved in the accident know that you have been injured and plan on pressing a personal injury claim.
There is a time restraint if you want compensation.
The statute of limitations for each state and type of claim varies from state to state, so if you believe you want to file a personal injury claim, you will want to do your research. If the statute of limitations passes, you won’t be able to file the claim.
Is it different when the claim is against the government?
If your injury is against the government, a government agency, or a government employee, the statute of limitations is even shorter, sometimes as little as 30 days. Again, this varies from state to state so you will want to do your research as quickly as possible to determine how much time you have before filing your claim. The process to file can take time and you will need to account for that when looking to file your claim.
Being injured at the fault or neglect of someone else shouldn’t cost you money. If you’ve lost wages or racked up medical bills because of a, a personal injury claim can help you get the compensation you need to cover those expenses. Contacting a personal injury lawyer can help you decide if you have a case and ensure you submit all the necessary materials in a timely and efficient manner.
