Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?

Accidents often happen in the blink of an eye. They can forever alter the course of someone’s life, causing physical, emotional, and financial repercussions that haunt them for a lifetime.

While most people don’t go through life anticipating the need for a personal injury attorney, unfortunate circumstances can happen where their expertise becomes essential. Accidents, whether on the road, at work, or in public places, can lead to severe injuries and overwhelming medical expenses, making it necessary to seek legal representation to pursue fair compensation.

After the dust settles and you’ve received any necessary medical care, contacting a trusted personal injury lawyer can be your next best step, even if your injuries don’t appear serious.

What Kinds of Cases Are Considered Personal Injury?

Personal injury cases involve accidents or incidents where someone suffers harm due to another party’s negligence or intentional actions. Though not every case warrants a lawsuit, personal injury matters can often be complex, requiring thorough investigation, evidence gathering, and skilled negotiation.

The most common types of personal injury accidents include:

1. Car, boat, truck, or motorcycle accidents: These, when caused by someone else’s negligence, can result in serious injuries, some of which don’t appear until weeks or months after the accident. These cases involve assessing liability, determining the extent of injury, and pursuing compensation for multiple damages.
2. Medical malpractice: This occurs when a healthcare professional is negligent or performs substandard care that leads to a patient’s injury or harm. Examples include surgical errors, misdiagnoses, birth injuries, and wrongly prescribed medications. A personal injury attorney can seek compensation for everything from financial harm to funeral expenses.
3. Wrongful death: These cases arise when someone dies due to another party’s negligent or intentional actions. They include vehicular accidents, medical malpractice, and workplace accidents.
4. Slip-and-fall accidents: These are when someone is injured on another individual’s or business’s property due to hazardous conditions. Typical slip-and-fall accidents include wet or slippery floors, uneven floors or sidewalks, maintenance negligence, and lack of proper signage.
5. Nursing home negligence or abuse: This is when residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities suffer harm due to inadequate care, neglect, or intentional abuse by staff members. Injuries can include medical expenses, emotional distress, and pain and suffering.
6. Traumatic brain injury (TBI): These cases involve severe head injuries resulting from accidents, falls, or assaults. They often have a long-term impact on a person’s physical and cognitive abilities and can require substantial medical treatment, rehabilitation, and diminished quality of life.
7. Dog bite: These attacks can lead to physical injuries, scarring, and emotional trauma. Compensation is often sought for medical expenses, cosmetic surgery, therapy, and other damages caused by the assault.

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help?

A skilled personal injury attorney fights on your behalf to secure compensation for damages like:

• Pain and suffering: A non-economic damage that includes physical and emotional distress.
• Lost wages: This includes for short- and long-term disabilities that affect current and future income.
• Medical bills and expenses: Such as emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and more, including specialist consultations.
• Denied insurance claims: Where your or the other party’s insurance company refuses to provide coverage or compensation for your losses or damages.
• Property damage: The harm or destruction caused to your personal property due to an accident or incident. It can include damage to vehicles, personal belongings, buildings, fences, or other structures.

Depending on the specifics of your case, your attorney will investigate what caused the accident, who’s at fault, and whether a standard of care was breached. They’ll also gather evidence, interview witnesses and experts, and pursue compensation for medical expenses, property damage, and pain and suffering.

Consult a Personal Injury Attorney You Can Trust in Council Bluffs, IA

At Peters Law Firm, we understand the importance of choosing the best personal injury attorney to represent your case. Our dedicated team of personal injury lawyers has a proven track record of success in handling complex matters and will fight tirelessly to protect your rights, seek justice, and secure the compensation you’re entitled to.

Contact us online today to arrange a free consultation at our Council Bluffs, IA, office.