Personal Injury FAQ

Personal Injury FAQ

Experiencing a serious injury due to an accident caused by someone else can be shocking, traumatic, and chaotic. It’s entirely normal to suddenly feel like things are out of control and one’s world has been turned upside down. Here are some key answers to critical questions that everyone finds themselves asking when hurt. If you need help from a personal injury expert among Maryland personal injury lawyers, the Law Office of Robert Castro is available to help.

I’ve Been Injured. What to do Next?

The first thing to do when seriously hurt is to stabilize your situation. If you can, try to make sure you’re in a safe place and not at risk. If you are, find anyone who can help you get out of it. Then call 9-1-1 for both assistance and medical response.

Should I Go to the Hospital?

There’s an old saying that a doctor is his worst patient. Don’t try to evaluate yourself. Many internal injuries won’t manifest until hours after an accident when your adrenaline levels have dropped. Therefore we feel sore muscles the next day after a hard workout or extreme exertion. Let a physician evaluate your condition after an accident.

Am I Entitled to Compensation?

A lot depends on the details and facts of how you were injured and what led up to the event. Therefore the help of a personal injury attorney matters so much. A qualified tort lawyer can make sense of the confusion and arrive at exactly who should be held accountable for your injury and recovery.

What Type of Compensation can I Claim?

If your case has sufficient detail it can be successfully argued for multiple types of recovery, depending on what is realized as an injury and can be documented. Recovery types can include physical injury costs and related rehabilitation, mental health injury, and property loss, as well as income loss. There is also the possibility of pain and suffering caused by egregious harm that should have been avoided.

When do I call a Personal Injury Attorney?

You should bring in the help of a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Having a second set of eyes and legal expertise on your side is essential as early as possible. A lot can be missed that can help your case later one. The sooner you have an attorney working on your case, the sooner those details can be collected to help your case.

What Information Should I Give the Insurance Companies?

You shouldn’t communicate with the other parties’ insurance companies at all. The only insurance company you should work with is your own if one is involved. And to be sure you’re being represented right, you should have an attorney communicating for you, even with your own insurance provider.

What Happens if the At-Fault Party has no insurance or too little insurance?

A lack of sufficient insurance doesn’t mean a responsible party can’t be held responsible. There may be other options or resources that the party has that can be used to pay for the harm caused and related recovery. Again, this is where your attorney can navigate challenges to still help you.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for my accident?

Fortunately, personal injury representation isn’t a cost-upfront situation. Instead, it works on a contingency model. A personal injury attorney provides representation and, when there is a financial recovery, the representation is paid for by a percentage of the settlement or judgment.

How Soon Do I Need to File a Claim?

There isn’t a technical rush to immediately file a claim. In fact, insurance companies will want you to file a fast claim so they can settle your matter as low as possible. It is better to let your attorney address the claimed timing so that you have the best recovery possible overall.

What is the Statute of Limitation for Personal Injury Claims?

Generally, personal injury claims need to be filed with a formal lawsuit in Maryland within three years of the event. After that, most courts in the state won’t allow a lawsuit to be filed after a fact. However, the details vary, so your attorney is again the expert to rely on to make sure your claim is filed timely.

How much is my personal injury case worth?

As mentioned above, a lot will depend on the details of your accident and what the party responsible did to create the situation in the first place. There is no generic benchmark for what a case is “worth.” However, your attorney will work aggressively to get you as much of a recovery as possible, including what is needed long-term as well, not just immediate healing.

The Law Office of Robert Castro can help you with your injury if needed. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we’re able to provide full representation for clients injured in Maryland, with responsible parties as well as insurance companies. Call us to set up an appointment. We can help.