In the US, you can file a personal injury claim if you or your loved one was injured due to someone’s negligence. It includes a wide range of incidents such as car crashes, workplace accidents due to unsafe environment, and even injuries caused by someone’s pet like a dog bite.
As these injuries can cause pain and result in considerable medical expenses, along with loss of wages, the personal injury law protects the interest of those who have suffered due to someone’s negligence. Under this law, you can receive fair compensation for your medical expenses, rehabilitation, therapy, mental and physical pain, lost wages, and even for your disability arising from the accident.
While an experienced personal injury lawyer in Brainerd, MN will leave no stone unturned to get you the compensation you deserve, there are a few things you can do to try and win your claim and maximize your compensation.
1. Get Required Medical Treatment
Whether it is a dog bite or a car crash, you should seek the required medical treatment immediately. Your injuries are a part of the damages you will need to include in your claim. Furthermore, in most personal injury claims, these details play a critical role in determining the amount of compensation.
So, make sure only certified professionals treat and also document each one of your injuries. Always ask the doctors and nurses to note down even the smallest detail related to your injuries. You should also follow the treatment plan and medication prescribed by the doctor without fail. It will help strengthen your claim.
2. Document the Evidence
Not just your injuries, other evidence like the damage to your car or property will also affect the outcome of your claim. If it is physically possible, you should immediately take pictures of the scene of the accident, your injuries, and the damage caused.
You should also collect the contact details of witnesses, if any. If it is a car crash, the police will most likely write an official report. It is your legal right to get a copy of the police report. Any experienced personal injury lawyer in Brainerd, MN will tell you to get it as soon as possible. The police report has witness statements and details of the damage, which help you establish grounds for your claim.
3. Don’t Delay
The statute of limitations, like most areas of the law, is also applicable to personal injury law in Minnesota. In other words, by law, there is a strict time limit, and you need to file your personal injury claim within this limit.
In Minnesota, two years is the standard time limit for filing personal injury lawsuits. The time limit starts on the day of the accident or the injury. If you delay your filing and miss the deadline, the defendant will ask the court to dismiss your claim, and the court will most likely agree.
Still, there are a few exceptions to this time limit. However, to find out whether or not these exceptions apply to you, you need to consult an experienced personal injury lawyer in Brainerd, MN, which brings us to the next point.
4. Talk to an Attorney Immediately
As soon as possible, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Brainerd, MN to discuss your case. Due to the sizeable medical expenses, most victims are too eager to get paid immediately. As a result, they are often willing to accept the first offer the defendant makes.
However, this mistake will prevent you from maximizing your compensation. If you have a competent attorney on your side, they will try their best to get you the compensation you actually deserve. As lawyers have real-life experience, they often know if and why an offer is inadequate.
Your attorney will also collect and analyze evidence with the help of experts to determine the amount of compensation befitting your injuries and suffering. They will also negotiate with the other party on your behalf.
5. Avoid Social Media
It may sound obvious, but when recovering from your injuries, you should avoid using social media as much as possible. In personal injury cases, your actions will influence the outcome of your case, which includes your social media behavior.
For example, if you share photos of hiking on social media a few weeks after the accident, it will negatively affect your case. The defendant will argue that your injuries are not as severe as stated in your proposal, asking the court to offer the minimum possible compensation or even throw out your claim. That’s why you should steer clear of social media until your claim is settled.
Conclusion
From dog bites and slips-and-falls to car crashes, you can file a personal injury lawsuit for any injury caused by someone’s negligence. While your lawyer will take care of the legal affairs, you can also take a few steps that can help maximize your compensation. Hopefully, these five tips will prove helpful in doing so.
Call an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Brainerd, MN Today!
If you or your loved one has fallen victim to someone’s negligence, whether it is a car crash or a slip-and-fall accident, Carlson & Jones, P.A., is here to help you. As leading and experienced personal injury lawyers in Brainerd, MN, we will try our best to maximize your compensation. You can call us at 855-762-6548 or contact us online through our website to know how we can help.