A lawyer cannot be an expert in every single area of law.
Lawyers choose to specialize in one or more specific practice areas to better serve their clients. One type of lawyer is a personal injury lawyer or “PI lawyer.” You may see commercials and billboards for personal injury lawyers all over town.
You may have a vague idea of what a personal injury lawyer does….after all, they have a reputation for being “ambulance chasers.” But what exactly does a personal injury do for you if you’re injured?
What is a Personal Injury Lawyer?
A personal injury lawyer is a litigator who provides legal representation to someone (the plaintiff) who alleges physical or psychological injury as a result of negligence or careless acts of another person, entity, company, or government agency (the defendant).
The main functions of a personal injury lawyer are to explain your rights, provide legal advice, and represent your best interests before, during, and after trial.
Personal injury cases vary, but here are some steps a personal injury lawyer will generally take when first receiving a case.
Initial consultation
- First, a personal injury lawyer will meet with his or her potential client to hear about the details of the case, the nature of the accident, and the extent of the damages and injuries.
- This is usually a free, no-obligation consultation where the injured party will get an idea of the next steps to take and what kind of compensation may be available.
Anthem Injury Lawyers offers a free initial consultation so you can discuss your case with us. Call us today at (702) 857-6000 to schedule your appointment. With our years of experience representing clients in auto, bus, motorcycle, drunk driver, pedestrian and more types of accidents, plus wrongful death and more accident cases, we offer the legal representation you need. Call us now: (702) 857-6000.
Investigate claims
- Personal injury lawyers may screen potential clients to evaluate the merits and likelihood of winning the case by doing some preliminary investigation into their personal injury claim.
- This includes looking into police reports, photographs, video surveillance, medical records, or employment history. Since most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis (they only get paid if you win), they are motivated to ensure a successful case.
Demand for settlement
- A personal injury lawyer will submit a demand letter, which outlines any liability and damages such as medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering due to serious injuries. The opposing party will respond to the letter by rejecting it, accepting it, or making a counteroffer.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit
- In the event that a case cannot be settled, a personal injury lawyer will file and serve a complaint and other required documents to show the nature of the accident victim’s damages and injuries.
Discovery
- This is the formal evidence gathering process where both sides will obtain further evidence from one another. This can also include hearing from witnesses and experts.
Settlement
- Attorneys for both sides will attempt to negotiate a settlement to be paid by the defendant. Settlement negotiations may go back and forth a few times before both parties reach an agreement.
- If a settlement is reached, the parties sign documents that confirm that the defendant is released from liability, an arrangement will be made for the plaintiff to receive compensation.
Pretrial motions and hearings
- Sometimes attorneys use pretrial motions to persuade the other side to provide evidence and/or to resolve a case before it goes to trial.
Mediation
- Mediation is another method that is sometimes used to avoid going to trial. A mediator, often a current or former judge, will conduct an informal proceeding to get both parties to reach an agreement.
Trial
- If a case cannot be settled outside of court, then it will go to trial. During this process, either a jury or a judge will evaluate the facts and determine who is at fault and possibly award damages to the injured person.
Appeal
- If you win the case, the defendant could pursue a post-trial motion to reduce the amount of damages owed or appeal the verdict. If you lose a case in state district court in Nevada, you have the opportunity to file an appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court. The Nevada Supreme Court then has the option of either hearing the case itself or assigning it to the Nevada Court of Appeals.
As you can see, the many details involved in personal injury cases require a skilled and experienced attorney. Anthem Injury Lawyers can provide you with the representation you need in a wide range of personal injury cases. Our free initial consultation can help you discover if you indeed have a case, and if so, the best way to proceed. Call us today for your free initial consultation: (702) 857-6000.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury lawyers specialize in tort law, the area of law that covers instances when someone causes injury, pain or suffering, or loss of past or future income, to another person.
If you experienced this kind of loss or harm, you should hire an experienced personal injury lawyer.
An experienced personal injury lawyer will:
- Know how to protect your legal rights
- Get you the compensation that you deserve
- Give you the opportunity to recover if you’ve been injured
- Connect you with the best medical providers
- Give you peace of mind to know that justice will be served
When you have a professional lawyer taking care of your case, you know have a greater chance of obtaining compensation and moving on with your life.
Here are some examples of situations where you would want to hire a personal injury lawyer:
- Insurance claim denied – The insurance company doesn’t want to take responsibility even though you know the other party was at fault.
- Long term injuries – You suffer from injuries that will require long term care or cause you to become permanently disabled.
- Multiple parties – When multiple parties are involved in an accident, things can get complicated with multiple insurance providers.
- Settlement offered – If you are offered a settlement it may be much less than what you deserve and what an experienced personal injury lawyer can get for you.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases
- Burn injuries – any injury that results in pain and suffering from a burn
- Construction accidents -an accident that occurs on a construction site, whether it’s a smaller project for a personal homeowner or a big commercial development
- Defective products – if you suffered an injury or other loss due to a product’s defective design, defective manufacturing, or inadequate warnings or signs
- Insurance or bad faith claims -if your insurance company fails to live up to its legal obligation to negotiate in good faith
- Medical malpractice -if you experience injury or damages due to your medical provider’s negligence
- Motor vehicle accidents -if the other driver was at fault for the accident and caused you harm or injury
- Nursing home abuse – the intentional infliction of harm by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of an elderly person in the care of a nursing home
- Pedestrian accidents – if you were injured by a negligent driver
- Premises Liability -a property owner’s legal responsibility if you were injured on a property due to unsafe conditions or negligence
- Slip and fall accidents -this is a type of premises liability if you sustained injuries due to slipping or falling on someone’s property due to their negligence
- Workplace injuries – if you got hurt on the job, chances are you can file for workers comp, but you may also be eligible for more compensation
- Wrongful death – when a person dies due to the negligence of another person
Experienced Las Vegas, NV Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a family member has been injured by another party, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you protect your rights.
For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000
If you are looking for a law firm with experienced personal injury attorneys in the Las Vegas Area, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today. Our phone number is (702) 857-6000. We offer Free Consultations.
Call or text (702) 857-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
