How Big Does Your Personal Injury Suit Have to Be?
After suffering an injury at the fault of another person, you may first wonder if you have a case at all. While it’s important to answer that question with the help of a lawyer, some people worry that their case won’t be enough. If you’re concerned that a lawyer won’t touch your case, then it’s important to think about what the lawyer’s concerns will be.
Is There a Significant Injury?
Significant injury is one of the leading factors in deciding whether a case is viable. Measure your damages. If you suffered minor injuries and there was little to no financial recovery, then you probably won’t have a case. The law can only compensate for measurable damages.
Was the Other Party at Fault?
In order to file a personal injury claim against another person, the other person has to be liable for your injury. While this might seem like an easy statement, it isn’t always obvious. If you suffer a serious injury, but the other person didn’t practice negligence or took reasonable care, then that person does not owe you compensation. For instance, if you run a car through a red light and another car hits you, where you suffer serious injuries, you may not have a case.
Liability can be tricky, of course! It is important to remember that there may always be exceptions to the rule. The size of your case may be determined by how much fault the other person had, in addition to the significance of your injuries. When serious injuries are involved, then the case may require an investigation to discover who is liable and whether you deserve compensation.
How Does Your Lawyer Make the Decision?
Your lawyer has to be able to make money off the case. Most lawyers will work for a contingency fee. This means that they get a cut of your compensation at the end of the case. They do not accept or require payment before the settlement. While you can guarantee that the lawyer will fight for you, you do have to keep this into consideration. Is there enough money on the table for the lawyer to be compensated for his or her efforts? Lawyers choose to handle cases that they believe have a winning shot and will receive adequate compensation for.
If you aren’t sure whether your case is big enough, the best course of action that you can take is to have a consultation with a personal injury lawyer. He or she will help you figure out whether there’s a case that a lawyer, like a Memphis personal injury lawyer, can handle.
Thanks to Patterson Bray, for their insight into personal injury claims.