Someone that has been injured in an accident has the right to seek a fair compensation. Often, that effort introduces fewer challenges, if the injured victim has chosen to hire a lawyer.
Tasks performed by personal injury lawyers
• Collect information that relates to the client’s case; get facts on the accident, the resulting injuries, and the evidence that indicates who was at fault.
• Prepare a demand letter
• Try to arrange a settlement
• If the insurance company has agreed to settle, then the lawyer must arrange for the signing of the release form.
• If the other party refuses to settle, then the lawyer initiates a lawsuit.
Jobs that must be done by an attorney that has initiated a lawsuit:
• File a complaint
• Serve the defendant
• Await a response from the defendant
• Prepare for the discovery; take part in the discovery
• Prepare for and take part in the trial
Actions that should not be taken by a personal injury lawyer
Personal Injury Lawyer in London should always consult with their clients. None of them should accept or reject a settlement offer without having obtained the client’s permission to do so. Sometimes, a client might feel pushed to go along with a lawyer’s opinion, regarding whether or not it would be best to settle. Smart clients understand the full nature of their responsibilities, before the time comes for making a decision about when to settle.
The client’s responsibilities
• Keep the lawyer updated on what has transpired, with respect to events that relate to the case being handled by the same attorney.
• Report the completion of treatment, if the treating physician has told the patient/client that no further treatments are necessary
• Let the legal counsel know about any effort that was made by the defendant, or by someone on the defense team to contact the lawyer’s client.
• Keep a copy of all the medical bills
• Try to save any evidence of money spent on treatment of the injuries; that would include any tickets received at a parking lot, when going to a scheduled appointment.
• If the injury resulted in a disability, then the client would need to keep track of all the money spent on medical equipment, or on accommodations in the home.
How a client’s actions can make a lawyer’s job easier?
If an accident victim/client has suffered a painful injury, then one of the client’s jobs should involve keeping a journal or diary. That should contain information on any recurrence of pain: How long did it last? How strong was that painful sensation?
Smart clients refrain from visiting any social media network, while their case is being investigated, negotiated or tried. Any that do visit such a network are careful not to post any photographs.