A personal injury lawyer in Syracuse is an attorney who works mainly on car accident cases. However, one can also help victims of defective medical devices, slip and fall accidents, workplace accidents, dog bites, and more. A Syracuse personal injury lawyer dedicates their work to helping individuals who have been injured. Personal injury lawyers can choose to only focus their practice on one area or work with victims of different kinds of injuries.
Typically, a Syracuse personal injury lawyer gets paid only out of the verdict or financial settlement that they obtain from you. Unless they win money for you, most of them refuse to accept any payment. If you don’t win anything, you owe nothing.
You need a Syracuse personal injury attorney to handle your claim when you’re injured in an accident. Click here to learn more about hiring one. But, what exactly does a Syracuse personal injury lawyer do?
1. Investigates Claims
Because a Syracuse personal injury lawyer often finances a case, they take great care not only in screening potential clients, but also in evaluating the merits of the case. Personal injury attorneys generally work on the basis of a contingency fee, which means that they only charge fees for their services after they’ve secured a jury verdict or settlement. Also, most personal injury lawyers in Syracuse won’t take on a case that they don’t believe will result in a client’s victory.
2. Explains Your Rights
Different states implement different laws pertaining to how comparative negligence affects a case or the statutes of limitations. A personal injury lawyer in Syracuse can explain to you how an accident and the different legal issues associated with it can affect your rights. For example, they can help you determine whether you can sue if you were partially to blame for the accident. A personal injury lawyer can also help you beat imposed time limits for filing a lawsuit.
3. Investigates the Case and Discovers Pieces of Evidence
A Syracuse personal injury lawyer will investigate your case. It’s part of preparing for trial or settlement. They will also perform discovery, which involves finding all the pieces of evidence available in your accident and hiring expert witnesses.
Some personal injury attorneys hire independent investigators to perform the work. Investigators will track down and interview witnesses. They will also obtain scene diagrams, videos, and photos if they exist. Part of the investigator’s job is to pick up the employer and police reports and get pictures of all the involved vehicles. It’s essential to note that some lawyers actually conduct in-person and on-site investigations themselves. They’ll be the ones to do different tasks, including the documentation of adverse conditions at injury sites. If no videos or pictures exist, the lawyer may have to go out to the accident premises to take photographs of any evidence left on the ground. Vehicle parts and skid marks can be pieces of evidence, including anything that can’t be picked up.
4. Provides Advice
A lawyer from a personal injury law firm in Syracuse can help you understand all those complicated legal procedures associated with your case, get through the maze of documentation and paperwork required in your case, and interpret insurance and medical jargon. They can walk you through the system while having the finesse of a real professional tour guide.
5. Negotiates with Insurance Companies
A Syracuse personal injury lawyer can handle all communications you have with the insurance company and prevent you from doing anything that may only jeopardize your claim, including giving a recorded statement. Also, they are used to negotiating with different insurance companies. What they can do for you is to review the policy details to determine the maximum compensation level that may be available, depending on your case’s specific circumstances.
6. Sends Formal Letters of Representation
A personal injury attorney in Syracuse will send their representation letter to all parties involved in your case, including insurance companies, manufacturers of defective machines, employers of workers injured at the workplace, and drivers of all other vehicles involved in the accident. They usually make their initial notice via email or phone before following it up with the formal letter of representation. Anyone else who may seek to get in touch with you about the accident will receive the same letter.
7. Represents a Client in Court
Litigation is complex. It requires close adherence to rules of evidence and proper procedures. It definitely isn’t a task best handled by novices.
Well, the vast majority of personal injury cases get settled even before any lawsuit is filed. However, some cases actually result in a trial. It happens when the insurance company denies your claim, leaving you without any possible way to recover, other than going through full civil litigation.
Conclusion
It’s important to have a Syracuse personal injury attorney by your side if you’ve been injured in an accident that’s caused by someone else. A personal injury lawyer can draw on helpful resources, like private investigators and expert witnesses, when necessary. All their functions, as discussed in this post, are vital to the success of your claim.
