Are you in the middle of a personal injury settlement and are wondering how you can maximize your claim? As the best personal injury lawyer in St. Paul, our team at Osterbauer will fight for every dollar you deserve. By establishing liability along with evidence of actual value for your case, you’ll be able to increase your settlement, where we will help every step of the way.
Situations that May Lead to a Case of Personal Injury
A great personal injury law firm will be able to handle a wide array of accident cases. While there are many different kinds of accidents, they should be able to represent you in cases such as:
- Workplace accidents
- Dog bite attacks
- Construction accidents
- Motor or vehicle accidents
- Firefighter or police injuries
- Medical malpractice
- Neglect or abuse in nursing homes
- Falls on a sidewalk or roadway
- Situations resulting in an injured party’s death
- Negligent security within buildings where the assault took place
Damages You Can Claim as a Result
A settlement on your personal injury will cover your expenses if someone else is responsible for your injuries. However, these expenses can increase over time, which may leave you with a significant amount of debt. Be sure to include expenses you incur, such as:
- Mental Healthcare: Both emotional and mental stress will need healthcare services such as medication or therapy. Those who also suffer from trauma will often need long-term care options.
- Medical Bills: Physical injuries will need medical treatment for complete recovery and depending on the extent of your injuries, you may end up paying huge medical bills.
- Physical Therapy: This can help you correct conditions as a result of an accident.
- Lost Wages: If you become unable to work after an accident, you may claim for various forms of income, including lost wages.
- Property Damage: If your property (such as a phone or car) was damaged as a result of an accident, you may make a claim.
- Legal Fees: There are times when you may claim legal fees because you wouldn’t require a lawyer if you didn’t suffer from injuries in the first place.
While there are other kinds of expenses, you’re able to claim that aren’t on this list, make sure that you document all your related expenses. Having a record of these will give you an accurate amount of how much you should be reimbursed.
Always Collect Evidence to Support Your Claim
It’s crucial to provide plenty of evidence to back up your claim and get more out of your personal injury settlement. This is especially important during your negotiation, where you need to get covered for the cost of damages. Here are just a few pieces of evidence you’ll need to collect:
- Pictures or videos of the scene of the accident
- A copy of the police report detailing the accident
- Written communication between you and all parties involved
- Bills from your mechanic with an estimate on damages to your car
- Imaging scans, medical receipts, and other details from your doctor
However, this is only a general list and every case is unique, so be sure to get as much information as you can after the accident. This includes getting in contact with the liable party for their information. If you are physically and mentally unable to collect the evidence on your own, this is the right time to get the assistance of a personal injury attorney.
Medical Treatment for Your Personal Injuries
You may be suffering from severe trauma as a result of getting in an accident, making it hard for you to file your personal injury claim. However, it’s best to keep in mind that you need to document your medical treatment from the first day. Ensure that you save details from your medical evaluations, visits to your doctor, along with receipts and bills from recovery-related costs.
It’s extremely important for you to immediately seek medical attention after an accident, even if you’re able to walk away from the scene without a scratch. Some injuries may not physically manifest themselves until later, such as:
- Back pain
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injury
In these cases, you have to get the medical attention you need. Moreover, providing evidence of your well-being while at the scene of the accident may prove beneficial to your claim.
Negotiating Your Claim
Negotiating your claim is one way to get more from your personal injury settlement. When the at-fault party or their insurance company gives you a settlement offer, you may accept or decline it. You may also provide them with a counteroffer where you dictate the terms.
Making negotiations may continue until both sides decide on an agreement. However, remember that insurance companies will expect you to negotiate, which is why their first offer will always be lower than your expectations. They do this to mitigate the amount of money they need to pay you.
If you’re unfamiliar with this process and are under a lot of stress, this is the right time to hire a personal injury lawyer. Your lawyer will be able to negotiate deals and handle the stress as often as needed. They will also have a deep knowledge of the case and will have experience in handling cases similar to your own.
Factors that Can Maximize Your Claim
When it comes to a personal injury claim, you may not know the full extent of your injuries until a few weeks or even months. Moreover, a reduced earning capacity, loss of future employment, as well as lost wages are huge factors to consider when you want to increase the settlement.
Here are just a few questions you may want to ask yourself:
- Should my health condition fail to improve, what or who should I consider?
- How will my life after the accident compare to my life before?
- Did this accident cost me a job or career advancement?
It’s also best to remember that your quality of life should not have to decrease because of someone else’s mistake.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Minnesota MN
Osterbauer in Minneapolis, MN represents victims from personal injury accidents. Our team is ready to handle various kinds of accident cases throughout the state and beyond. Call us at 612-334-3434 for a free case review with our personal injury attorney or visit our website to help you get the settlement you deserve.
