When is it Appropriate to Contact a Lawyer After a Family Member Suffers an Injury?

by Jenna G
When is it Appropriate to Contact a Lawyer After a Family Member Suffers an Injury

If a loved one or family member has been injured, you might be dealing with the catastrophic aftermath of the accident. And, this is even more true if the injured person is the sole income earner in a household or has reported long-lasting disabilities. 

Luckily, when it comes down to starting rebuilding your life after the accident, you are not alone. Hiring a legal team can help you obtain the compensation you deserve, liaise with insurance companies, and gather the necessary evidence to win a court case. 

Here are just a few of the instances where hiring a lawyer can be beneficial.

A Lawyer Can Help You Obtain the Compensation You Deserve

In the immediate aftermath of an accident or wrongful death, the at-fault party’s insurer will attempt to settle the case by offering reduced compensation or denying the claim. If this happens, you should refuse the offer and immediately call your attorney, 

After all, looking out for the health of your family also means safeguarding their financial well-being and ensuring that the necessary funds to cover medical expenses are available! 

An attorney will fight your corner and help you obtain fair compensation that accounts for the medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and psychological injuries your loved one might have reported. 

Worst-Case Scenario: Hiring a Lawyer After a Tragic and Unnecessary Death

If you suspect that the death of a loved one has been caused by the negligence of an employer, road user, or commercial enterprise, you should not think twice about hiring a team of wrongful death attorneys

These experienced professionals can help you access a fair amount of compensation that aims to cover both economic and non-economic damages (i.e.: loss of income, pain and suffering, final expenses, etc.) and guide you in the process of taking your case to court, if necessary. You don’t need to go through this process alone, so speak with a wrongful death lawyer as soon as you are considering filing a lawsuit so that they can fight for you from the beginning.

Attorneys Can Help if the Liability Is Disputed

Although in some cases, a certain party is evidently at fault in an accident, sometimes the liability can be disputed. This can happen if the dynamics of an accident or the reason for the injury are not immediately clear. However, often, the party at fault won’t immediately admit their wrongdoing. 

In these cases, working with an attorney can help you prove that the other party is the one that has committed errors or negligence. In turn, this can help you recover the right level of compensation for the injuries reported by your loved one. 

A Legal Team Can Help You Gather Evidence

Some physical injuries, such as a broken arm, can be immediately and evidently visible after an accident. However, not all injuries are equal. For example, your loved one might develop long-lasting health conditions following an accident or a product defect. Or, they might begin to deal with long-term disabilities that will cause the loss of wages and financial assets. 

And, of course, accidents can cause non-economic and non-physical damages, such as psychological trauma, mental illnesses, changes in lifestyle, and the need for ongoing medical care. 

These injuries are much more difficult to prove and, to obtain fair compensation, you’ll need an experienced lawyer who can help you develop a legal strategy, find proof of the damage reported, and collect evidence.

Hiring an Attorney Is Invaluable When Your Insurance Claim Is Denied

Undeniably, insurance policies are the ultimate safety net against the physical and economic damages reported in an accident. However, insurance companies might not always have your best interest at heart. 

When working with a lawyer, you’ll be able to:

  • Get to know the basics of health and car insurance coverage 
  • Proof that the other party is at-fault
  • Streamline the process of filing a claim
  • Gathering the evidence needed for a successful claim
  • Protecting your loved one against tactics that insurance companies might use (i.e.: delaying the processing of your claim so that the statute of limitations expires)
  • Negotiating a fair settlement

If the accident’s liability is disputed, insurance companies might end up denying a claim. In this case, a lawyer can have your back and ensure that your family member is able to claim a fair settlement. 

Attorneys Can Help You Liaise With All the Parties Involved

The aftermath of an accident, injury, or wrongful death can be financially, physically, and emotionally overwhelming. And, you and your family are likely to have to deal with multiple parties, including insurance companies, funeral directors, medical professionals, and the at-fault party. 

Working with a legal team can help you free your mind and time of this responsibility so that your loved one can focus uniquely on making a full recovery – and, of course, have the peace of mind that an experienced professional is fighting your corner!

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