Filing a personal injury claim after someone has caused you harm can be seen as a fairly accusatory act by the defendant. They will want to do everything they can to defend their reputation and their finances, taking great care and making significant strides to remove liability from themselves. If you want to be able to strengthen your argument against their own, there are a few things you need to know and do before you actually file your claim. Otherwise, you could be giving them an advantage the moment your case begins.
Before filing your personal injury claim, give consideration to:
- Liability: Filing a personal injury lawsuit against someone who is not liable for your accident or injuries can be a time and money sink. You should have confidence that your claim targets the right person. Work with a team of attorneys who can analyze the evidence of your incident, including photographs, testimonies, and any police or medical reports, and say with certainty where liability lies.
- Cost: Receiving a large sum of money from a settlement sounds like an exciting prospect but it does little good if that sum needs to be even larger. Determining the complete and final cost of your damages is necessary if you want to recover in comfort. You also cannot overlook your maximum medical improvement (MMI), or the point at which you are not expected to recover any more from your injuries, even with medical assistance. If you have not met your MMI, your medical bills are not done piling up.
- Statutes: Personal injury statutes of limitations make filing your claim a delicate balance between awaiting to reach your MMI and acting quickly to avoid the statute expiring. In Connecticut, and most other states, you only have two years to file a lawsuit after you are injured. Talk to your lawyer to determine the right time to file your claim so you do not file too soon and ask for too little but also so you do not file too late and miss your deadline.
The last thing you should do before filing a claim is retain the services of a professional personal injury lawyer. As you may already know, filing a successful injury claim is not a straightforward process in the slightest, and you can be met with resistance at any step along the way.
With a legal advocate in your corner or leading your charge, you can be confident that your case is strong, thorough, and capable of winning the full compensation you deserve.
For high-caliber help backed by a long history of successful case results, contact Carlson & Dumeer, LLC. You can request a free initial consultation with our Hartford personal injury attorneys to begin.