Personal injury occurs when someone incurs an injury either because of someone’s negligence or ill-motives. Should this happen to you or someone you care about, know that there is a recourse for you to take so that you can be properly compensated for what happened.
Here, we take a look at some of the more common myths on personal injury cases, and the facts that should bring clear answers and enlightenment to those who may need it.
MYTH 1: Personal injury law only applies to accidents like slip and falls, and car accidents.
FACT: Slip and falls, and accidents, are the most common types of personal injuries, but they are not the only ones. Medical malpractice also falls under personal injury. If a surgeon leaves a gauze inside during surgery, and this results in complications during the patient’s recovery, the patient may file for personal injury.
Psychological and emotional harms are also considered under this category, and so can be used as grounds for seeking relief in court.
MYTH 2: You should wait until you are healed or recovered before filing a personal injury lawsuit.
FACT: The sooner you get it done, the better. Keep in mind that there is a statute of limitations or a deadline for filing a lawsuit.
For personal injuries, specifically, you must file within two years from the occurrence of the injury. If this is not possible, such as the medical malpractice example above, then the statute of limitations begins upon the date of the discovery of the injury.
MYTH 3: It’s expensive to hire a lawyer and file a personal injury lawsuit.
FACT: The prevailing misconception is that hiring a lawyer to pursue a personal injury lawsuit is going to be very expensive. However, the fact is that lawyers handling personal injury cases forego legal fees upfront. Based on the contingency fee setup, their fees will be paid from the awarded settlement.
The lawyers are also in charge of the disbursements, or any and all necessary expenses incurred during the pursuit of the lawsuit. So if fear of cost is what’s stopping you from filing a personal injury lawsuit, don’t worry.
Get the justice and compensation you deserve. Hire a personal injury lawyer at the earliest.
