Frequently Asked Questions
Answers from a Tempe Personal Injury Attorney
I have just been injured in an accident. What should I do next?
Your first action, before all else, should be to seek medical attention for your injuries. Even if you do not think you have been seriously harmed, you may have suffered damage that will not become evident until later. A medical professional can provide you with a full diagnosis and adequate treatment for the injuries you have sustained. After you have sought and received treatment, your next step should be to consult with a personal injury lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation if the accident was not your fault, and an attorney can fight for that compensation on your behalf.
Why do I need a lawyer to seek compensation for me?
Filing a personal injury claim with an insurance company and actually receiving the compensation you require is rarely a straightforward process. Insurance companies are not in the business of handing out full settlements to injury victims, and one must often fight to obtain what they deserve. In hiring a lawyer, you will have someone representing you who has worked with insurance companies many times. Our legal team has the experience necessary to give you a stronger chance at receiving the full compensation you need for your various accident-related expenses.
What an attorney can bring to your case will be unattainable without legal representation. Professional studies conducted by the Insurance Research Council have shown that accident victims suffering from injury were able to obtain three and a half times more in financial compensation when represented by a lawyer than those who attempted to complete the process on their own. There is no telling how far experience and legal knowledge can take you, and your case will reflect this depending on the direction you choose to take.
How long will it take to resolve my personal injury case?
The length of your case depends greatly upon the specific factors of your accident. The number of people involved in the accident, the extent of your injuries, and other related issues will influence the amount of time it takes to receive compensation for the injuries you sustained. A satisfactory settlement could take weeks, months or even years, and there is always a small possibility that you will not be able to secure any damages at all. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that the responsible party's insurance company will be willing to settle with you right away.
What we cannot stress enough is the immediacy with which you should act upon being injured in any type of accident. Arizona's statute of limitations could severely infringe on the time you will be allotted to handle the claims you wish to file. In some cases, as little as six months is provided to those wishing to take legal action for an injury that was sustained in an accident. Other cases, such as those involving car accidents, are allotted up to two years to complete the process. There is no telling how long you will be given to bring your case to successful completion, so we urge you to act as quickly as possible when taking legal action of any degree.
What can I obtain compensation for after my accident?
You may be able to recover damages related to:
- Lost wages or profits
- Pain and suffering (physical and emotional)
- Medical expenses (including hospitalization and treatment)
- Possible future medical expenses
What happens if I am found to be at fault for my accident and injury?
Typically, an accident involving two more parties will not be the fault of only one person involved. More often than not, partial responsibility will lie with each of the parties involved. Therefore, even if you believe that you are to blame for an accident that caused you injury it is worth hiring legal representation that can investigate the matter and determine if another is at fault as well. Arizona state law follows a pure comparative negligence system in which all parties involved in an accident can be held partially responsible for the injuries that were sustained as a result. When a personal injury case is brought before a court judge and jury, it will be the duty of the judge and jury to evaluate the situation and apply percentages of responsibility to the corresponding parties that were involved in the accident. This means that even if you did play a part in contributing to your injury, you can still receive compensation if you are not entirely to blame.