Massachusetts Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Blog

What To Expect During A Free Consultation With A Personal Injury Lawyer

For many people that have been the innocent victims of a personal injury accident, they begin to think about hiring an attorney. Their friends or family may be telling them to “get a lawyer and sue.” But, many feel intimidated and nervous at the idea of meeting with a lawyer. Here is what you can expect during a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer.

First, the attorney will want to know exactly how the accident happened. For example, if it is a car accident case, he will want to see the police report (if there is one), photos of the scene and of the vehicles involved, and other documentation surrounding the car wreck. He will try to establish exactly who is liable, or at-fault for the accident.

Personal Injury Deposition Tips For Claimants

With any personal injury case in Massachusetts that goes into litigation, depositions are usually necessary. Basically, a deposition is a formal, recorded interview with the lawyer hired by the insurance company. Your Boston personal injury attorney can also take a deposition of anyone he chooses. If you have an upcoming deposition, regardless if your case involves a car accident, pedestrian accident, wrongful death, etc., here are some instructions we give to our clients prior to their deposition, so that they are fully prepared.

THE CARDINAL RULES

What Happens When The Other Driver Lies About How The Accident Happened 

Following many car accidents the drivers involved try to point the finger at one another. They may claim the other driver failed to yield, failed to stop at a stop sign, or some other driver error occurred, such as driver distraction. They do this by telling the police officer that arrives on the scene that the other driver caused the accident. They also tell their car insurance company they did not cause the accident. But what if one of the driver’s lies about how the car crash occurred? What are you supposed to do in this situation?

It makes sense in this situation to a car crash attorney. That is because the attorney will be able to analyze the evidence and successfully argue to the insurance company for the at-fault driver that he caused the crash. This is frequently done through a lawsuit which will involve the other driver’s deposition. During the deposition your attorney will be able to nail down just how the accident happened which will hopefully establish the other driver did lie on how the accident happened.

The Cost of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer 

It is true that many types of legal services can be quite expensive. Many lawyers charge hundreds of dollars per hour. Following an accident in which someone has been injures due to negligence, they may be concerned about the cost of hiring a personal injury lawyer. However, these types of cases do not require any upfront money or hourly fees.

These cases are handled almost always on contingency fee. That means you only pay the lawyer if you receive money, and that is called a contingency fee. For example, if you hire a car accident law firm to represent you for a crash, and the case settles for $10,000, the attorney will collect his fee from this amount. The typical contingency fee percentage is 33%. Therefore, in our example, the fee owed to the lawyer would be $3,333.33. If the injury lawyer is unable to settle the case, the attorney would be owed nothing.

When A Personal Injury Lawyer Is Not Needed

Many times following an accident an attorney should be hired. That ensures the best possible outcome and settlement for a case. But there are also times when a personal injury lawyer is not needed. Here are some of those times.

First, if negligence or liability cannot be proven then you don’t need a lawyer because you don’t have a case. For example, if you had a slip and fall accident and there is no person or company that was responsible for the fall, then even if you were injured, a lawyer would not be needed. That is because there is only a case if another party was negligent. Please note Massachusetts workers’ compensation law does not require any showing of negligence in order for a case to be successful.

What A Car Accident Lawyer Can’t Do For You

There are many ways a lawyer can help you with a car crash case. Having legal representation on your side ensures you get the best possible outcome for your case. But, it is important to know too what a car accident lawyer can’t do for you.

First, before an attorney can represent a car crash victim, he must have the client sign a contingent fee agreement. That is required under the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct. A car accident attorney in Massachusetts cannot represent a client without a written contingent agreement in place.

Scarring From Personal Injury Accidents

Personal injury events can cause a variety of possible injuries ranging from moderate, to severe, to even wrongful death. Scarring is an injury that arises frequently from accidents. They can be a permanent and lasting reminder of a painful event in one’s life.

Scarring frequently can arise from car accidents. Oftentimes broken glass can cause facial scarring. Sometimes occupants upon impact strike their head against the steering wheel.

When To Hire A Slip And Fall Lawyer

People experience slip and falls and trip and fall accidents in a variety of ways. They can be caused by a spilled liquid, a faulty rug or carpet, ice and snow, and countless other ways. Sometimes they are simply due to the carelessness or inattention of the injury victim. Other times it can be due to the fault or negligence of a landlord, company, or other property owner, and that is when to hire a slip and fall lawyer.

Assuming fault can be established, then we look to whether or not personal injuries were sustained. Slip and fall claims should only pursued when there is in fact an injury, along with medical treatment.

How Personal Injury Cases Are Negotiated

Nearly all personal injury cases in Massachusetts settle without the necessity of going to trial. When you have a personal injury attorney, part of his role is negotiating your accident claim with the insurance company.

For example, if your claim stems from a car accident, once your medical treatment has ended, your attorney will put together and submit to the insurance adjuster a demand package. This package will contain a demand figure for settlement purposes.

How To Find A Car Accident Lawyer

If you suffered personal injuries from an auto accident in Massachusetts that was not your fault, you may be wondering how to find a car accident lawyer. Keep in mind under Massachusetts law, even if you were partially at-fault for causing the car accident, you may still file a claim for financial compensation. That is legally referred to as comparative negligence.

No matter how the car wreck happened, it is important to find the right injury lawyer so that you get the best possible outcome and settlement for your case. There are a few ways you can find a great lawyer. Here are some of them.