Frequently Asked Personal Injury Complaint Questions and Answers
No one ever wants to go through any kind of accident or incident that results in personal injury, however, as soon as a personal injury oriented accident occurs the process of filing a personal injury complaint begins. Accidents like these can be automobile accidents, medical malpractice, harassment, neglect and much more. When one is involved in an
accident involving personal injury a timeline begins, with or without the victim making that decision. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding personal injury complaints:
Q: When Do I need To File My Claim?
A: The timeline of the accident, injuries, and any subsequent pain and suffering, begins immediately after the incident. There is a limited amount of time to actually file the personal injury complaint. This is referred to as the “statute of limitations” and this time limit varies depending on the incident as well as the state in which the accident occurred. For the state of Colorado, the limited amount of time to file a personal injury complaint following an accident is two years from the date of the accident. Filing your complaint as early as possible, or at the very least, hiring a personal injury lawyer for counsel, is the best way to make sure your claim is handled the way it should be.
Q: Do I Need to Hire A Lawyer?
A: Ultimately, this is completely up to the injured party. Keep in mind that lawyers are professionals, who are educated in the field, and deal with these types of cases often. If you’re looking to get some monetary gain out of your case, you will probably see better results with a lawyer. However, if you feel that you are well-versed in the legal system, you may choose to represent yourself. Beware though, the whole process is full of paper work and all kind of things that need to be completed and are usually time-sensitive. Overall, prior knowledge of the legal system would be good, before you decide to represent yourself.
Q: What Are Contingency Fees?
A. There are very few people who can afford to pay a lawyer anywhere from $200 to upwards of $1,000 per hour of service they provide. This is where the option of contingency fees comes in. What this means is that you won’t need to pay your lawyer until the case is won, at which time your lawyer will take a percentage of your awarded settlement to cover the law services provided. This makes it a more affordable option for the client, and it also means that the lawyer has as much interest in winning the case as the client does. If and when you need to file a personal injury complaint the best thing to do is get as much information as you can from each person you deal with. It is your responsibility, as the injured party, to do your homework. Be prepared for your case with or without the help of a lawyer. It’s always a good idea to read as much as you can from credible and dependable sources. Double check your findings with sources you know are credible. Even though there is so much information out on the internet, it’s important to not assume that everything you read is true without verifying that with a dependable source of information.
