Fayetteville Personal Injury Lawyer

What Should I Do After Being Injured in an Accident?

An accident can happen anytime because it is something that no one plans on experiencing.

However, statistics show that millions of people are injured in accidents every year.

That is why it is important to know what to do after being injured in an accident in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Check Everyone Involved in the Accident

If the person involved in the accident is injured, they should not try to move.

However, if the person did not sustain serious injuries, they should check everyone involved in the accident.

They should determine the condition of everyone. And they should help in whatever way they can.

Gather Evidence

The victims should gather evidence while they are still at the scene.

They can take photos using their smartphones.

And, they should write down a brief description of what happened, road and weather conditions that might have contributed to the accident, and the date and time of the accident.

Exchange Information

The people involved in the accident should exchange information with each other.

And the victims should write down the names and contact information for everyone involved and the name of the insurance company.

The victim’s personal injury lawyer will use the information in the future.

Seek Medical Help

If the person suffered a personal injury, they should seek medical help immediately. Victims must see a doctor, even if the injuries are not readily apparent.

Why?

It can take time to detect some injuries, and the victim might lose their ability to bring a claim if they do not seek medical help.

Call a Lawyer

Once the victim receives appropriate medical attention, they should call a highly skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer.

A personal injury lawyer will hear the details of the accident and advise the victims whether they have a valid personal injury claim or not.

How Do I Know If I Have a Personal Injury Claim?

Many victims file personal injury claims based on negligence.

However, it is hard for accident victims to prove negligence. And, the defendant can exploit the weakness in the claim to reduce the victim’s financial recovery.

Here is how the accident victim can know if they have a personal injury claim:

They Incurred Damages Due to the Breach

Accident victims use personal injury claims to recover compensation for their damages.

If the victim suffered damages, they can recover compensatory damages, including punitive, economic, and non-economic damages.

The law uses these damages to punish the defendant.

Was the Accident the Fault of the Victim?

It is important to prove that the defendant was at fault.

The victim can also win their case even if the accident was their fault. However, the victims need to prove the defendant was at fault.

If they fail to prove it, they may not file to get compensation for their injuries.

Was the Accident the Cause of the Injury?

The victims need to prove that the accident caused their injuries.

Insurance companies can use pre-existing conditions to prove that the accident was not the cause of their victim’s injuries.

Therefore, the victims must hire personal injury lawyers to help them prove that the accident caused the injuries.

The Victim Did Not Make Mistakes that Can Harm their Case?

Some accident victims can make mistakes that can hurt their chances of getting the compensation they rightfully deserve.

For instance, they can ignore the orders of their doctors, postpone medical care, and post about the accident or injuries online.

How Is Fault Determined After An Injury In Arkansas?

In Arkansas, the victim’s personal injury lawyer determines fault by proving that the defendant owed the victim a legal duty and the defendant breached this duty.

And, they must establish that the cause of the injuries and damages was from the resulting breach.

Therefore, the accident victim needs to speak directly to a lawyer.

At Keith Law Group, we have some of the most experienced lawyers in Arkansas.

Our lawyers help our clients assess the facts of their situation and advise them on their rights. And we offer a free legal consultation, so call now at (479) 326-7734.

How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Our Fayetteville personal injury lawyers handle cases on a contingency fee.

This means we will get a percentage of the settlement.

Therefore, you will not pay for our services until you receive compensation.

We only charge our clients if they recover damages for their injury.

Many victims need help to recover damages, but they are usually financially strapped due to their injuries.

That is why a contingency fee benefits injury victims who cannot afford to pay their lawyer fees upfront.

They can get access to legal expertise without paying upfront fees.

Why do I Need a Lawyer?

Once an accident occurs, the accident victim can take a lot of time to recover from their injuries and return to their normal life.

The stress of recovery holds many people back. And their finances become drained as they are unable to work and they have medical bills to pay.

Hiring a  lawyer will help them get their life back to normal faster.

Benefits of hiring a lawyer include, but are not limited to:

Help With Litigation

Personal injury lawyers can take the case to court, especially if the defendant contests the compensation claim.

Lawyers of the insurance companies can turn the tide against the accident victim, especially if the victim does not have a lawyer.

Hiring a lawyer is the only way for the victims to level the playing field and get the best legal representation.

We Protect the Legal Interests of the Victims

Injury victims are entitled to compensation.

However, most victims are not familiar with personal injury law, so they can lose the money they rightfully deserve.

Personal injury lawyers know personal injury law and they know the rules involving pain and suffering, mental duress, and future medical expenses.

The lawyers are there to protect the interests of the injury victims.

We Know the Ins and Outs of These Cases

Some personal injuries have several years of experience, so they ensure their clients do not lose out on the compensation they are entitled to due to a mere technicality, a loophole, or paperwork.

Lawyers follow strict rules and guidelines when filing a personal injury claim.

They ensure they understand the specific case of their clients, and they use the right legal strategy to help their clients get the best compensation.

Your Claim Can Be Settled Faster

Injuries victims may wait for a long time to get the settlement, especially if they have to wait to recover from their injuries to file a claim. Some victims can avoid waiting for a long time to file a claim.

How?

They hire a personal injury to pursue their compensation.

The lawyer does everything as the victim recovers from the injuries.

Some lawyers have enough experience, so they can anticipate setbacks that they might face, and they know how to avoid these setbacks.

Calculating Damages

It is difficult to evaluate the damage, and it is even harder for victims to prove that the accident was not their fault.

Luckily, experienced lawyers can help identify the party at fault and establish liability.

Personal injury lawyers are experts in this field, so they can help the victims evaluate their damages and prove they were not at fault.

We Help Victims Get the Compensation They Deserve

The ultimate goal of all accident victims is to get the compensation they rightfully deserve for their injuries and damages.

However, the goal of the defendant’s lawyer is to ensure the victims get the lowest compensation possible.

It is hard to fight these big businesses and their lawyers as an individual. Personal injury lawyers will accept their clients to settle for less than their cases are worth.

What Type of Damages Can I Recover?

The amount of compensation an injury victim can recover after an accident depends on the types of damages they suffered.

The nature and seriousness of the victim’s injuries are used to determine the value of the accident.

Personal injury lawyers usually help determine the potential value of the accident claim.

Here are the three (3) types of damages accident victims can recover:

1. Economic Damages

The primary component of damages in most accidents is medical expenses.

Also, the injuries the victim suffered can have a big impact on the victim’s ability to get back to work, so the damages can include future income.

Economic damages include loss of medical and funeral expenses, expected earnings, services and goods, benefits, and any inheritance.

2. Non-Economic Damages

The most common types of non-economic damages in Arkansas are pain and suffering.

Non-economic damages do not pay back the bills the victim incurred due to their injury, but they compensate the victims for injuries they suffered.

It is hard to put a price tag on these injuries. Juries usually give a monetary award for the impact of pain and suffering the victim suffered due to the accident.

3. Punitive Damages

Punitive damages can exceed the regular compensatory damages because they are mostly awarded for egregious conduct.

However, there is a law in Arkansas that imposes limits on punitive damages.

This law helps prevent punitive damages awards from becoming so substantial.

How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim in Arkansas?

Injury victims have three (3) years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Arkansas.

The three-year filing period starts at the date of the injury.

However, if the victim were not aware of the injury, the three-year filing period begins counting down from the point of discovery of the injury.

Injury victims should not wait to file their personal injury cases, even though they have three years to file their case.

It is much easier to investigate the case if they file the case early. The victim can receive compensation by quickly filing their case.

So, the safest bet is to file the case as early as possible.

Do I Have to Go to Court for a Personal Injury Claim?

Many personal injury lawyers settle cases before they reach court.

If the defendant accepts responsibility for the illness, injury, or damages, the lawyer negotiates a settlement.

Lawyers usually take into account the victim’s medical expenses they have incurred, future care costs, pain, and suffering when negotiating the settlement.

However, if the defendant denies responsibility for the injuries and damages or if they cannot agree on a suitable compensation package, we will take the case to court.

Review Your Claim With A Fayetteville Personal Injury Lawyer

It is hard to deal with personal injury claims, especially for victims who are not familiar with personal injury law in Arkansas.

Hiring personal injury lawyers is the right to do.

Why?

We will help you get the best settlement, and work on a contingency basis. This means any accident victim can afford to hire a personal injury lawyer.

The personal injury lawyers at Keith Law are happy to answer questions the accident victims may have on this issue, so call them today on (479) 326-7734 to set up a free initial consultation.