Legal FAQs
Do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
When should I hire a personal injury lawyer?
Should I see a doctor?
What evidence of personal injury is necessary?
How much is my personal injury claim worth?
How long will my personal injury case take?
Is my personal injury case confidential?
Do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
The legal and insurance systems involved in personal injury claims are complex and confusing, even for professionals who work with the system every day.
Working with Slocumb Law Firm to evaluate your claim and guide you through the process of getting compensated for your suffering can provide peace of mind and valuable information with which to make informed and educated decisions throughout your personal injury claim.
It is important to note that, on the opposite side of your potential personal injury claim, the individual who is responsible to compensate you for your injuries will most assuredly have legal representation. Whether an individual or their insurance company, the person at fault will have access to expert defense lawyers to represent their interests. Slocumb Law Firm has the expertise to effectively counter the insurance company and their attorneys, as well as help you receive compensation for your personal injury claim.
When should I hire a personal injury lawyer?
You should always hire a lawyer sooner rather than later. A two year statute of limitations may apply to your situation that could prevent you from collecting on your injury. Evidence can spoil or be lost. Witnesses, who are first more than willing to help, can become uncooperative or their memory forgets as time passes. Consulting with an attorney during the early stages of the case can help secure this evidence and supportive testimony.
Should I see a doctor?
A majority of personal injury clients have already received medical evaluations and treatment before they seek legal representation. However, if for whatever reason you have not sought medical treatment for your injuries, Slocumb Law Firm encourage you to seek appropriate care for your injuries.
If you believe that you have medical problems or symptoms related to a personal injury accident or incident, go to a doctor immediately. Your diagnosis, course of treatment, and your medical condition's relationship to the personal injury accident or incident is a medical decision.
Please note that you should see a doctor for the purpose of getting medical treatment, not for the purpose of advancing a personal injury claim. Specific discussions of your injuries and your medical treatment should be within the confidential relationship of attorney and client. If you have any questions about your treatment, Slocumb Law Firm are available to you.
What evidence of personal injury is necessary?
Victims should capture photographic evidence of all cuts, bruises and broken bones as soon as possible after injury occurs. Also, photograph the damage done to your automobile or other property from all angles. It is also helpful if you can provide the names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses to your personal injury accident.
You will need to keep accurate records of your out-of-pocket losses resulting from the personal injury, including medical bills and lost wages. Later on, the insurance company will demand documentation of all medical treatment, billings and lost income.
How much is my personal injury claim worth?
This is a very complex question that requires information relative to the extent of your injuries, the identity of the potential defendant, and the available insurance limits. Every personal injury case is unique, so determining the value of the personal injury claim will take some time and work.
What is important is that a personal injury case evaluation be done thoroughly, professionally, and at a point in time when your doctor can predict the nature and extent of your injury and percentage of recovery.
Slocumb Law Firm works diligently to ensure all of the facts are thoroughly examined. On larger, more complex personal injury cases, we will get evaluations from expert medical doctors, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and financial experts that can determine the extent of what is owed to you. Only after completing this process can a value be assessed for your personal injury claim.
How long will my personal injury case take?
Personal injury cases may settle after a few months without the need for a trial or arbitration. Depending on the extent of your injuries and the course of medical treatment, the personal injury claim can take months or years to complete.
Each personal injury case is different and unique; however, no settlement should be completed without careful consideration of future risk. It is our belief that your case should not settle until all risks of future aftereffects and lingering injury have stabilized. Being cautious will ensure that you receive a just value for your personal injury claim.
Is my personal injury case confidential?
To ensure that personal injury clients and their attorneys can speak freely about any legal matter, the law protects the confidentiality of attorney-client communications.
Slocumb Law Firm is placed under a strict legal obligation not to divulge any details of your case without your written consent. Beyond this legal obligation, our lawyers work to create a professional relationship with clients that promotes open communication and will be available to you at any time throughout your personal injury claim.
