Common Myths in Personal Injury Cases
Many myths exist concerning personal injury claims in the United States. Whether it is the result of wildly reported news stories, advise from family or a friend who has gone through the judicial process, or by just not knowing how the law applies in the context of a personal injury claim, myths have developed and appear in most places. A sample of common myths out there in the public domain includes:
- Speaking with a personal injury attorney will cost a lot of money and hiring one costs even more: Frequently, personal injury attorneys will often provide free consultations for potential clients. These free consultations are designed for both parties to get acquainted with each other, ask questions before either decides to hire or be hired and most come with no cost upfront. Often, personal injury lawyers will work on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee arrangement is where the risk is shifted to the attorney by funding and prosecuting a case in exchange for a percentage of the recovery. Without this arrangement, the vast majority of injured victims would be precluding from litigating their case due to the high cost of litigation.
- My costs due to the accident will be completely covered by insurance: Regardless of your monthly premiums, a number of insurance companies will always place profit levels above helping you. Their goal is for you to take a settlement while paying you as little as possible. Nevertheless, relying on your insurance company to do the right thing is not something you should expect. Also, look for policy exclusions in your plan booklet to see if a particular type of injury is covered. If not, you may be stuck with a bill far in excess of an insurance policy’s limits available for you to collect on.
- The at-fault party did this to me, and they are responsible for paying for my injuries: Although this would be the logical result, it will actually be the at-fault party’s insurance company that will step in and provide the cost of defence to their insured and also pay for any damages up to the limits of their insured’s policy. Most motorists in Oklahoma only carry the minimum compulsory rate policy which will cover up to $25,000.00 for your personal injury claim. However, if your medical bills exceed the policy limits, you will have to look elsewhere to ensure the balance is paid.
- I only have minor injuries so it is not worth talking to an attorney: If you think you need to call an attorney, then your injuries are to a point where your body is telling you the injury may be more serious than initially thought. Remember that initial consultations are normally free. A minor injury might seem minor at first, but it might be revealed to not be minor at all after proper diagnostic testing is performed. A lot of times individuals will think the pain will go away and downplay how bad the injury could be, but what you think is a small injury could just be the tip of the iceberg of what has actually happened to your body. Small injury or not, always take the safe route and contact an attorney to determine if you have a case worth pursuing.
- If I change my mind about consulting an attorney, I can still file a lawsuit whenever I’m ready: While this statement is partially true, there is still only a limited time in which a personal injury lawsuit can be filed due to the statute of limitations, which can vary by state. Once you are past the statute of limitations deadline, your ability to file a personal injury lawsuit may be precluded as a matter of law. This is why seeking the advice of an attorney immediately following your accident is always a safe and cautious option to consider.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an injury-related accident caused by the negligence of another person or business entity, call on the expertise of Larby & Associates at (918) 796-5780 to provide you with a free consultation regarding your potential claim. Larby & Associates has significant experience in all area personal injury related claims, including: Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Premises Liability; and Defective Products & Dangerous Drugs. We will work tirelessly for you to maximize any recovery to which you may be entitled. The financial compensation you deserve could be only one phone call away. Call Larby & Associates today.
