Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”
If you have recently been injured, you may find yourself wondering what your next steps should be. Should you get medical tests performed? Should you sue the person or entity you feel is responsible for your injuries? How would you even go about doing that? It is crucial to know when to hire a personal injury attorney to ensure that you are equipped with the necessary guidance to navigate what can be a tedious process. The following information will help you understand if and when you should attempt to hire a personal injury attorney.
First, Determine How Serious the Injury is
Before you decide whether to contact a personal injury attorney, you should first attempt to assess how serious your injury is. For example, if you were rear-ended and suffered only minor scratches, you may ultimately conclude that it is not worth the effort to hire an attorney, especially if insurance compensation would be sufficient.
In personal injury cases, there are two major types of injuries, which are classified as “soft tissue injuries” and “hard injuries.” Soft tissue injuries are those injuries that involve only muscle and soft connective tissue. Common soft tissue injuries include sprained or strained back, knee, neck, or ankle injuries. Hard injuries are more serious injuries which typically require a physician to perform physical repair or an invasive examination. Evidence of hard injuries often results in higher damage amounts in personal injury cases. Common hard injuries include broken bones, dislocations, ligament tears, head wounds, other wounds, and spinal injuries.
Keep in mind, however, that if you have more than a few scratches or a small bruise, you should go to a medical professional to have your injuries examined because what might seem like a miniscule injury could actually be something much more serious than what was initially presumed.
Do I Really Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
If your injury is not major, you may be able to handle a claim yourself (for example, by going through an insurance agency). However, the more severe the injury, the more likely it is that you will need help from an attorney. Personal injury attorneys can be helpful by ensuring that your claim is filed before any applicable deadlines pass. In personal injury cases, an individual has a specific amount of time to bring a claim against the at-fault party before the claim can no longer be brought. A personal injury attorney in North Carolina can ensure that the necessary documentation is submitted before those deadlines.
Personal injury attorneys may also have their own network of recommended medical professionals who can perform medical testing in personal injury cases. This can be helpful because if you go through an insurance agency, they might try to convince you to use their medical professionals, who may minimize the impact of your injuries for the benefit of the insurance agency. Personal injury attorneys also have access to private investigators who can help acquire evidence to support your case.
When Should I Contact a Personal Injury Attorney?
After assessing that your injury is significant, you should contact a personal injury attorney (make sure you also get medical attention for any serious injuries). Your attorney will likely schedule a consultation to talk with you about your claim and suggest what next steps you should take regarding examinations, insurance companies, and the like. Personal injury claims can be tricky, so if you choose to use an attorney, it is important to contact them as soon as possible after the accident.
Contact a Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney
Arnold & Smith, PLLC, is a personal injury firm that is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our firm has professionals with extensive legal experience, and we are ready to help you with your personal injury claim today. If you have questions about your potential claim or the compensation you may recover if you file, call our litigation attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC. Call (704) 370-2828 to receive a video, phone or in-person consultation with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/value-nature-extent-of-injuries.html
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/broken-arm-1152672
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