Severe personal injuries occur because of unexpected events. If you’ve been injured suddenly, you may not know what to do to pursue justice and compensation. A personal injury claim handled by experienced attorneys makes it possible to do just that. Although a personalized consultation is necessary to learn more about your injury, below we look at some of the most common questions about these claims.
What to Consider Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
Q: What injuries qualify a victim for a personal injury case?
A: The type of injuries that trigger a lawsuit case vary widely. Some examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Fractures
- Burns
- Brain or spinal cord injury
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of limbs or other body parts, as result of injury
Q: When should you hire a lawyer?
A: Technically, the process never requires an attorney. However, the success rate of cases improves substantially once counsel is in place. If you decide to hire a personal injury lawyer, it’s best to do so as early in the process as possible.
Q: How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney?
A: Our Knoxville personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation to anyone wishing to hire us. In this meeting, our attorney can offer a view into the fee structure. Sometimes a personal injury attorney charges a percentage of compensation won in a personal injury, but this is something to review with your lawyer.
Questions About Your Lawsuit
Q: Will we end up in a trial for my personal injury case?
A: The quick answer to this question is ‘no’. In most cases claims can be settled before a trial is required. A good personal injury attorney guides their clients to a fair settlement, but also advises to go to trial, if the offer isn’t enough.
Q: How long will it take to resolve my case?
A: Unfortunately, the answer to this question varies. Once the case gets rolling your attorney may be able to offer an estimate, but things rarely go smoothly, and delays can occur. Everyone involved in the process needs to be patient.
Q: How much can I get in compensation?
A: No attorney can predict how much you might get in compensation before meeting with you to learn all the facts around your case. If they do, don’t trust them. Period. Experienced personal injury lawyers, like those at McKeehan Law Group, may be able to give you a range to expect after meeting with you. This range is generally based on other cases they’ve handled.
To offer you some information, the amount of money you may get depends on circumstances. This calculation may be based on the following:
- Present and future medical bills from treatment of your injury
- Proven loss of income
- Costs of rehabilitative treatment
- Costs of assistive devices, technology and modifications necessary to adapt to life with your injury
- And in some cases, pain and suffering. Because there are no direct costs associated, proving pain and suffering loss presents a challenge. It is a subjective amount.
Contact the McKeehan Law Group for more information or free consultation by calling (865) 294-8008 or send us a message.