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Standing Up For What I Knew Was Right

One day when I was driving on the freeway, I was completely blindsided by another car pummeling down the hill. I didn't know what to do or what went wrong, but I knew things were bad. I couldn't feel my feet at first, and my face was covered in liquid that turned out to be blood. When the ambulance arrived I could see the concern on their faces, and it was frustrating to know what was about to come. Fortunately, I was able to get great medical care, and talk with a personal injury attorney that helped me to sort out everything else. Read this website to find out how accident attorneys can help you to make a difference in your own life.

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Standing Up For What I Knew Was Right

Injury Victim Rights In Auto Accident Claims

by Dylan Tucker

Ideally, injury victims would get full compensation as soon as possible after an accident. However, that rarely happens, and accident victims must jump through a few hoops to get the compensation they deserve. The law protects your rights in various ways as you pursue your injury compensation. Below are a few of these rights.

Right to Full and Fair Compensation

You deserve compensation from the liable party, but only for the damages or losses from the accident. The personal injury compensation should return you to your pre-accident status and not make you richer. For example, you cannot pursue million-dollar compensation if your damages only total half that amount.

Thus, you must prove all your damages and their dollar values. For example, if you want $50,000 for medical damages, you should produce evidence (such as medical bills) for that figure.

Right to File a Lawsuit

Many personal injury cases settle outside the courtroom. Many courts also encourage alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation and arbitration. However, you have the right to sue the defendant if the settlement outside the courtroom fails.

Ideally, you should only exercise this right after careful consideration. For example, you should know that lawsuits usually take longer than settlements and are unpredictable. However, no one will prevent you from filing a lawsuit anytime you feel the settlement efforts are heading nowhere.

Right to Remain Silent

You have the right to remain silent and not discuss your auto accident case with the defendant, lawyer, or insurance representative. Do not let any of those parties coerce you into giving sworn statements, signing documents, or giving recorded statements. You won't lose compensation simply because you refused to discuss the case with the adjuster.

Indeed, many lawyers will advise you to remain silent until you consult an attorney. You risk saying something that weakens your case if you talk without your lawyer's advice. You might even sign a statement that gives up some of your compensation rights if you aren't careful.

Right to Legal Counsel

You do not need a lawyer to pursue a personal injury case, but you have the right to consult one if you want to. The defendant or their insurance company cannot force you to deal with them directly if you do not like the idea. Indeed, you can always deflect the insurance adjuster's questions to your lawyer.

Having a lawyer also has numerous benefits. For example, experienced injury lawyers have good negotiation skills, understand injury law better than the average person, and understand adjuster tactics. 

For more information, contact a company such as Blackwell Ruiz Injury Law.

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