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A Personal Injury Attorney in Hampton Representing Injured Victims’ Rights
If you need an experienced Hampton personal injury lawyer, it means that you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, which puts you in a very vulnerable position. The road toward recovery is often rocky, but with an experienced Hampton personal injury lawyer backing you up, you can move forward with purpose and increased confidence.
Common Categories of Personal Injury Claims
Because personal injury law is based on negligence, there are plenty of categories to go around. Personal injury claims come in many different forms, but some of the most common include:
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents caused by driver negligence
- Traffic accidents caused by drunk, distracted, exhausted, or aggressive motorists
- Dog bites
- Premises liability claims, such as slipping and falling
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
Negligence
Negligence is the basis of personal injury claims, and it relates to the duty of care involved. People in specific positions owe others a duty of care that amounts to a level of responsibility they are required to meet. For example, when you get behind the wheel, you owe everyone else on the road the duty of care of driving safely (about whatever happens to be going on around you). When motorists fail to live up to their responsibilities, it can lead to life-threatening accidents and personal injury claims. This duty of care extends to many situations, including the duty of care that medical professionals owe their patients and that commercial property owners and managers owe their guests.
Building Your Strongest Claim
To receive the compensation to which you are entitled, you need a strong claim that represents your damages in their entirety, including:
- Property Damage – If you were injured in a traffic accident, your vehicle likely sustained damage
- Medical Expenses – The medical expenses you face after being injured in a severe accident can be astronomical.
- Lost Earnings – A severe injury can leave you off the job for a considerable amount of time, can lead to lost earning potential, and can even alter your career’s trajectory.
- Pain and Suffering – The physical and emotional pain and suffering wrought by a severe accident caused by someone else’s negligence can be difficult to overstate.
Ensuring that your damages are well represented will play an essential role in your ability to recover fully. Another critical element in moving forward with a solid claim involves gathering all pertinent evidence which often involves eyewitness testimony.
Knowing When to Say When
A personal injury lawyer will speak with the insurance company on your behalf and will skillfully negotiate for a settlement that addresses your complete damages – in their entirety. However, your lawyer will also know when to walk away from negotiations and move forward toward litigation. While most personal injury claims are settled out of court, if the insurance company is not interested in negotiating in good faith, your lawyer will know when to say when and pull the plug on negotiations going nowhere.
Understanding the Insurance Company
It is only natural to assume that the insurance company will step up to the plate and do what it is paid to do – compensate you for the damages you have suffered due to their client’s negligence. Unfortunately, however, insurance companies are far more likely to put their best interests first and, as such, to put their profits above your just settlement. Many insurance companies follow the same basic game plan that includes the same basic tactics.
Offering an Early Settlement
You have been injured, are earning less, and are likely at your most vulnerable, and the insurance company understands your predicament. If the insurance company offers you an early settlement, this is almost certainly their motivation. The insurance company is hoping you will accept out of financial desperation. Before accepting such an offer, it’s important to keep all of the following in mind:
- If the insurance company makes an early offer, there’s a reason for it. But, unfortunately, that reason is likely that it recognizes the severity of your injuries (before you’re fully aware of just how extensive they are).
- Many injuries can lead to secondary health complications and may require ongoing medical care and attention.
- It’s always in your best interests to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer before accepting a settlement offer.
The Insurance Company is Taking an Unreasonably Amount of Time to Process Your Claim
The insurance company may throw everything it’s got into, making the claims process so lengthy and so complicated that you walk away confused and exhausted.
The Insurance Company is Blaming You
The insurance company is invested in shifting the blame of its clients (the at-fault party whose negligence caused you to be injured) and onto claimants like you. However, the circumstances of your accident will determine fault in your claim – and not the insurance company (demonstrating fault is one of those important tasks that your personal injury lawyer will address). It’s important to note that, in South Carolina, sharing part of the blame does not negate your legal right to seek compensation for the damages you’ve suffered as a result of someone else’s negligence.
Turn to an Experienced Hampton Personal Injury Lawyer Today
The experienced personal injury lawyers at David Aylor Law Offices in Hampton, South Carolina, have a wealth of experience guiding claims like yours toward optimal outcomes that protect our clients’ rights. We’re on your side and here to help, so please don’t hesitate to schedule your free case evaluation by contacting or calling us at 843-5744-7444 for more information today.