The main goal a personal injury attorney is to make the injured party whole and to discourage others from committing the same offense. They work to protect clients from being victimized by insurance companies, corporations, and the legal system. Battling big companies and their team of lawyers is a big part of what a personal injury attorney does.
Your attorney knows personal injury laws and procedural rules and will handle the legwork for you.
A personal injury attorney’s duties include gathering evidence, developing legal theories, researching the law, preparing pleadings, motions and discovery, interviewing and deposing witnesses, and preparing for and going to trial.
A critical function and large part of a personal injury attorney’s responsibilities are to thoroughly research every issue to build a strong case. Often this includes examining highly complex medical records and legal statutes (including the statute of limitations).
Personal injury attorneys facilitate compensation for plaintiff losses, including loss of earnings, pain and suffering, medical expenses (both present and future), emotional distress, legal costs and attorney fees.
A contingency fee is a prior arrangement between lawyer and client in which the lawyer receives a set percentage of the amount of recovery awarded to the plaintiff in a case. In most cases, the conclusion of a legal suit come by way of settlement, mediation, arbitration or trial. Generally, when a lawyer takes a case on a contingency fee, a client has no obligation to pay a fee unless the case is successfully resolved.
Most personal injury lawyers will cover costs and expenses and then deduct them from your portion of the settlement.
Costs and expenses in a personal injury case include:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Expert witness fees
- Postage
- Filing fees
- Investigators
- Depositions
- Trial exhibits
Costs and expenses tend to increase if settlement does not occur until close to trial.
Having an experienced personal injury attorney handle your injury case not only ensures that you are compensated, but should also relieve much of the burden of dealing with insurance companies and creditors.