If you were injured in an accident, especially one that has resulted in quadriplegic injuries, you can file a claim against the person responsible for the accident.
A quadriplegic injury is extremely serious and life-altering. It occurs when the spine has been damaged and causes a person to become paralyzed. The victim is unable to move their arms, legs, and torso. Apart from the pain and trauma that this individual suffers, there will be huge medical bills.
Filing a personal injury claim can be complicated, but the steps below will guide you on how to do it best.
1. Seek Medical Attention
The first step when you’ve been involved in an accident is to go to a doctor or hospital as soon as possible to have your injuries assessed. You should do this even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured. Often, because of the adrenaline rush victims experience after an accident, they don’t notice that they’ve been hurt. Of course, in the case of quadriplegia, the symptoms are severe, and the victim will probably need to be taken to an ER immediately.
Another reason it’s important to seek medical attention immediatel is because personal injury claims are primarily based pn medical records.
2. Hire a Quadriplegic Accident Attorney
While you are not required by law to retain an attorney to assist you in filing a personal injury claim, doing so will undoubtedly help you, especially given the severity of this injury. A quadriplegic accident attorney has the experience and knowledge to help you file and claim and possibly get more compensation than you’d receive filing a claim on your own.
Additionally, contracting this work to an experienced attorney allows you to focus on your recovery while they handle this massive task.
3. Gather Information and Keep a Meticulous Record of Damaged
You need to keep a record of all your medical treatment and damages that you’ve suffered as a result of the accident. This includes doctor and hospital bills, medication, and prescriptions. Talk to your doctor to get an idea of how much your future treatments will cost, as this needs to be part of the claim.
Apart from the medical bills, you must also include damage to any of your property, like your car and the costs involved to fix it and any lost wages as a result of the accident. All of this information must be given to your lawyer.
4. Negotiate a Settlement
At this point, your lawyer will work out how much to claim based on all the evidence you provided. Your lawyer will take the amount to the insurer or person responsible for the accident to negotiate a settlement. This is a critical step in the process, and a good lawyer will successfully get you the amount you’ve claimed. In most cases, a settlement is reached, but they will have to go to trial if they can’t agree on a settlement amount.
5. File a Lawsuit
Your lawyer will file a lawsuit when a settlement out of court hasn’t been reached. Once the lawsuit has been filed, the insurer or person responsible will be served with a summons. The defendant will be given a specific amount of time to file an answer before the case goes to court. During the trial, the judge will hear both arguments and decide on the victim’s compensation amount.
Taking the matter to court can be an expensive and a long, drawn-out process, so it’s best to settle out of court as far as possible.
References
- Nicoletlaw: Step-by-Step Guide for Filing a Personal Injury Claim
- Hhklawfirm: Step-by-Step Guide to Filing a Personal Injury Claim
- Vanlawfirm: Step-by-Step Guide to Filing a Personal Injury Claim
- Lorenzoandlorenzo: What are the Steps to Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Tampa, Florida?
- Pricebenowitz: DC Quadriplegia Injury Lawyer
