4 Facts About Personal Injury Suits That You Need to Understand

Personal injury suits have to do with seeking compensation from the party that caused the injury. This is true whether the injury came about due to an accident, negligence on the part of an individual or group of individuals, or intentional acts that created an unsafe setting.

While it makes sense to hire a Learners Lawyers, personal injury law firm, and seek damages, plaintiffs should take the time to learn more about what is involved with this kind of legal action. Here are four basic facts to help you get started.

Personal Injury Suits are Civil Rather than Criminal Actions

A personal injury suit, such as one for a motorcycle accident, is classed as a civil legal action. This means that there does not have to be any type of criminal charges filed before this type of suit can progress. The outcome of the suit will not in and of itself place the responsible parties behind bars.

It’s quite possible that the event may involve a criminal suit that is addressed and resolved prior to the filing of a personal suit. Keep in mind the outcome of the criminal suit does not necessarily dictate what will happen with the civil suit.

There have been cases where criminal charges were dismissed but an award was made in the civil suit. Success in a criminal suit does not always translate into winning a civil suit. Your legal counsel will help you explore the options of filing a persona injury suit and project the most likely outcomes.

There’s Only So Much Time to Pursue a Case

With any type of personal injury claim, there’s only so much time to pursue the matter legally. The best rule of thumb is to contact a lawyer as soon after the event as possible. This is true even if the responsible party is already offering some type of settlement.

Choosing to wait could mean running out of time and no longer being able to pursue the matter through the court. By contrast, your lawyer can file documents with the court early on and prevent this potential loss of the opportunity to seek redress for the injury. It’s not too early to contact a lawyer while you’re in the hospital mending from whatever events led to the injury.

But They Can Drag On For a Long Time

While there is some urgency to file your personal injury suit quickly, that doesn’t mean everything will be wrapped up in a short amount of time. In the best-case scenario, it’s possible for personal injury lawyers in Markham to seek settlements that are equitable and agreeable to both parties. If that happens, you could receive the money without ever having to go to court.

Another possibility is that the other party will not want to negotiate a settlement. If that happens, the matter will go to court. Between delays, appeals, and other legal machinations, the case could continue for years. While it can be draining on more than one level, the possibility of eventually receiving the compensation that you deserve makes the effort worth it.

Settlement Financing May or May Not Be Right for You

If you’re involved in a case that will take some time to resolve, there are settlement lenders who will provide loans amounting to a portion of the projected reward or settlement.

This approach can allow you to use the money to help cover basic living expenses, cover any portion of your medical costs that are not taken care of by insurance, and even provide funding for your legal counsel. With the better settlement lenders, you don’t have to repay the loan if you end up losing the case.

This may be a viable option if you need money to get by. If you’re doing okay financially, consider waiting. While these loans are helpful, they also come with significant interest rates. If you can manage to keep afloat financially without the loan, do so.

Remember that your legal counsel is always ready to discuss anything that has to do with the case. Do ask questions and listen closely to the answers. Be involved in the pursuit of the case. With a little luck, things will turn out the way that you hoped.