What Do Personal Injury Lawyers Actually Do?
If you have recently been hurt in a preventable accident, you may be wondering whether you need an attorney – especially if the other party or their insurance company has made a settlement offer. In most cases, it is highly advisable to retain an attorney, as it can even the playing field between you and an insurance company that handles injury claims every day. Below we discuss some of the things that personal injury lawyers do when representing injured victims. To discuss your case with a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, call our office today.
Evaluate your claim
The first step an attorney must take is to evaluate your claim. When doing this, a lawyer may consider:
- How you came to suffer your injury or illness
- Who contributed to your injury or illness
- Whether you did anything to contribute to your damages
- The types of damages you’ve suffered
- Other factors relevant to your case
Never assume that you don’t have a case. An attorney should be the judge of that. They have experience and knowledge that could benefit you. If you deserve justice, then an attorney will help.
File Your Paperwork
Many personal injury cases are subject to a statute of limitations. Per Missouri code § 516.120, you generally have five years to file a personal injury case. For wrongful death claims, Mo. Ann. Stat. § 537.100 dictates that you have three years to file your case.
These timelines may seem ample – but they can fly by quicker than you may expect. In addition to filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim, our team may need to:
- Report an accident
- Report injuries
- Obtain police reports
- Obtain medical records
- Take other steps necessary to complete your case
Our team will file all of your paperwork, time permitting. The sooner you reach out for legal help, the more time we’ll have to beat all case-related deadlines.
Attempt to Negotiate a Settlement
The majority of personal injury cases settle, per the American Bar Association (ABA). Settlements can be the ideal outcome for all parties, as they’re generally more efficient and less costly than trials. As your attorneys, we will seek a settlement for you.
We may negotiate a settlement with an insurance company. When dealing with a lawsuit, we may negotiate with attorneys for the defendants in your case. We’ll never accept a settlement unless it covers all of your losses.
Negotiating a settlement can be difficult unless you’ve done it before. Our team has significant experience negotiating settlements for our clients.
Perhaps, File a Lawsuit
Filing a lawsuit is not always necessary. We may secure a settlement before a lawsuit becomes necessary. However, we file lawsuits when our clients’ cases demand it. We may even secure a settlement after filing a lawsuit or going to trial.
Call Us Today to Speak with a St. Louis Personal Injury Attorney
In addition to the duties listed above, a lawyer must protect your rights. First and foremost, this is what our team will do. Bruntrager & Billings, P.C., serves those in St. Louis who need help. If you’ve suffered damages and someone else is to blame, we are ready to assist you.
Call Bruntrager & Billings, P.C. today at 314-646-0066 for your consultation. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about our firm and for us to review your case.