Knowing what to do after being injured can be tricky business. Do you accept the insurance company’s offer? Do you hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit? You probably have injuries you need help paying for, so you need to do something, but what? With the help of an attorney, you can figure out what to do. The following are three steps to take that should help you determine if or how to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- Determine Whether There Is Sufficient Insurance Coverage
After your injury, you’ll need to do a little digging into the at-fault party’s insurance coverage. For example, if you are in a car accident, you should find out if the other driver has auto insurance. If you are injured one someone else’s property, you should find out if that individual has homeowner’s insurance.
The reason this is an important step in filing a lawsuit is because in many situations, someone without accurate insurance coverage isn’t going to have the assets to pull from for your settlement. You may win the lawsuit with a judge ruling in your favor, but if the party has no money, no assets, and no job, you could end up with nothing. It’s possible in such a situation, that your own insurance company will pay for your injuries. If that other party has full insurance coverage and plenty of assets, and you think you can get more from a lawsuit, however, you may want to proceed with a lawsuit.
- Determine Whether You Need an Attorney
Even if you don’t end up hiring an attorney to help you file the lawsuit, you should at least get some legal advice from a personal injury attorney. There are plenty of lawyers out there who offer one free consultation, or a meeting at a lower cost, just to get an idea of what your case looks like. If you both feel it would benefit you more to move ahead on your own, there won’t be any more action taken by the attorney. If you both choose to work together, the lawyer can get to work right away on your case.
- Determine Whether to File a Lawsuit
Sometimes just the thought of having a lawsuit filed against oneself is enough action to get someone to resolve an issue. Many personal injury cases are resolved before a lawsuit can be filed because the responsible party doesn’t want the hassle of the trial. If you do end up filing a lawsuit, your lawyer can help walk you through the steps to get you started.
Contacting a Lawyer
Trying to handle a personal injury case on your own can be a difficult task. Contact an attorney, like a personal injury attorney in Indianapolis, IN from Ward & Ward Law Firm, today to get the help you need.