Your Legal Rights Following A Personal Injury Incident
Published on:August 24, 2017

You have just been involved in a personal injury incident, and now you want to know what you can legally do about it. A personal injury incident can be:

  • A car accident
  • A slip and fall incident
  • An injury due to a product malfunction
  • Medical malpractice
  • A fall down a flight of stairs
  • Being struck by materials being moved on a construction work site

If you are injured due to someone else’s negligence, then you have certain rights when it comes to getting justice and compensation. You should always consult with an experienced attorney to learn all of your rights and how you can exercise them, but you should know the basics of personal injury claims when you are injured.

You Have The Right To Seek Compensation

Even if the person who injured you was arrested and jailed for the incident they caused, you are still able to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court to collect monies due to you. You have the right to sue for loss of wages, property damage, and medical bills relating to your incident. You have the right to let a court decide what type of compensation you deserve for your injuries.

You Have The Right To Reject An Insurance Settlement

Too many people believe that they must accept whatever settlement an insurance company offers in the wake of a personal injury incident. This is absolutely not true, and that is why you should never talk to the insurance companies on your own. You should hire an experienced personal injury attorney to speak to the insurance companies for you.

You Have The Right To Take The Insurance Company To Court

In many personal injury cases, the plaintiff is actually suing the defendant’s insurance company and not the defendant themselves. When your attorney rejects an insurance company’s initial settlement offer, a negotiation process begins. If your attorney feels that the insurance company is not being reasonable with its offers, then you and your attorney have the right to seek proper compensation in a civil court.

You Have The Right To “Pain And Suffering” Compensation

If you are not negligent in your personal injury incident, then you have the right to seek out additional compensation for your pain and suffering. In some cases, pain and suffering can include any loss in quality of life you have experienced due to the accident. For example, if your injuries prevent you from being able to care for your children like you used to, then you can seek compensation for that. If a husband is no longer able to provide the kind of relationship with his wife that the couple is used to because of injuries sustained in an accident, then that can be part of pain and suffering as well.

It is important to understand your rights as the victim of a personal injury incident prior to filing a lawsuit. You should consult with a professional attorney to get a comprehensive understanding of your rights, and the options you have to pursue compensation that will help you to put your life back together.