Why file an accident claim if you are injured in a car accident or on someone’s property? The short answer is to recover the lost wages, medical bills, and related expenses resulting from the injury. Yet, there is reluctance, a hesitation, even a stigma attached to filing such a claim for many people. It could be for any number of reasons.
In the media, lawsuits are often portrayed as frivolous, bilking the system, and accompanied by a predictable public outcry. What if a family member or friend caused the accident? There may be a sense of conflicted loyalty that you will hurt them. By filing an accident claim, their insurance may go up, and a bad situation will be made even worse. Though fully justified in seeking legal means for compensation, the idea of going to court may make some people ill at ease or make them anxious. Or it may have a misguided notion that lawsuits take years to resolve when all you want is to put the whole affair behind you.
Not Sue-Happy? Neither Are We!
The truth is, filing an accident claim does not mean you are suing your friend, a family member, or an unfortunate stranger. It doesn’t mean you will take them to court or wish to make it a public affair that attracts unwanted publicity. In fact, by filing a claim, you are seeking resolution of the accident without having to sue. By filing an accident claim, you are taking justifiable action to settle out of court. Suppose you are hesitant or reluctant to file an accident claim, consult with Hardy Wolf & Downing, a Maine-based law firm with four decades of experience making sure. In that case, accident victims receive just compensation for their injuries and losses.
Why File an Accident Claim?
Personal injury law covers many types of accidents, which may involve many scenarios. Accidents, however unintentional, are still a result of negligence. By definition, a personal injury claim is a claim for liability, the result of another party’s negligence, and the basis for a personal injury case. After a car accident, the other driver will not be swayed, especially if it is a family or friend, into not taking legal action. For starters, in Maine, reporting a car accident is required by law. Referred to as a “reportable accident,” any car accident on a public way or place that results in bodily injury (or death) or property damage of $1,000 or more must be reported to a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency.
Filing a Claim for Workplace Accidents, Medical Malpractice, or Premises Liability
Besides injuries sustained in a car accident, it is within your rights to file an accident claim for workplace accidents, medical malpractice, or landlord or property management negligence when on-premises. A property owner’s negligence may result in a slip, trip, and fall accident from not clearing snow or ice or from loose flooring or ragged carpeting. Product defects like faulty vehicle parts, defective goods, recalls, and contaminated foods are other forms of negligence that entitle you to file an accident claim.
If you are injured due to negligence and believe that you have a justifiable cause to file an accident claim, you owe it to yourself to get legal advice from a personal injury lawyer. The lawyers at Hardy Wolf & Downing will pursue every possible avenue to reach an agreement or settlement without going to court. Though lawsuits can be filed from the first day of an accident, Hardy Wolf & Downing is not a “sue happy” firm. Lawsuits are a last resort.
Why Hire an Experienced Trial Attorney?
Filing an accident claim after suffering an injury resulting from someone else’s negligence should not be viewed negatively or with a stigma. Filing a claim is the right thing to do. None of the parties involved in a personal injury case wish to have a lengthy trial. Your personal injury lawyer at Hardy Wolf & Downing will counsel you on the amount of money being offered and whether or not to accept it or take the next step in pursuing a lawsuit. When injured due to negligence, filing an accident claim is the right thing to do.