It’s safe to say that as unfortunate as it may be, the harsh truth is that we’re bound to be subjected to some kind of an injury at some point in our lives. And if it’s not you, then you’ll know someone who has or may go through it. This is why it’s important that we know as much as we possibly can about what goes into filing personal injury claims, and more importantly, what it’s all about. A lot of money goes into paying medical bills which could cause serious financial setbacks, and that’s why people usually file for personal injury claims, to try to get their money back. However, it gets a little difficult to handle this amount of bureaucratic nonsense when you're physically incapable of doing anything, doesn’t it? This is why we’ve collected a number of factors that you should keep in mind, if you’re ever faced with a situation like this and you can consult Voss Law Firm that can be trusted to provide quality legal representation.
Promptness is key
Of course, it is understandable that after suffering from an injury that leaves you physically incapable to perform certain tasks, the last thing you’re going to think about is filing a claim. On the other hand, if you’re planning to file a claim you must keep in mind that the sooner you file it, the more likely it is to get accepted. We often find that claims filed by people who wait until it’s too late, get denied. Unfortunately, this might mean that you won’t be able to wait until you’ve completely healed to proceed with your legal actions.Power of an attorney
It’s important for you to know what role an attorney plays in such cases. First off, there are four types of power of attorney, but in this case, it makes sense to use one or two. Depending on your situation, you should decide on what type of document to pick. If you’re suffering from an injury that might lead to you being unable to make decisions for yourself, you should make a lasting power of attorney. In case of suffering from anything that might lead to brain injuries, memory disorders or substance abuse, the document gives whomever you choose the permission to act on your behalf.On the other hand, if your injury is only physical, you could file for an ordinary power of attorney that grants a third party the power to represent you. This only means that they’ll be able to manage your claims and financial affairs, but unlike the one previously mentioned, they won’t be able to make any decisions. How do you prepare such a document, though? Surprisingly enough, it’s an easy process. All you need to do is to print the document from an official online source and sign it in front of a witness and have it notarized. That’s it.
You can assign an appointee
While similar to the power of attorney, there are a few differences. To begin with, the power of attorney should be reserved for serious cases where the claimant’s condition is likely to get worse. Another thing is that while you can grant several people the power of attorney, you can only make one person your appointee. If you live in the U.S, what you need to do is contact a lawyer and have them help you out with the procedure of making someone your appointee to handle your injury claim.On the other hand, if you happen to live in the United Kingdom, you’re going to need to contact the Department of Work and Pensions and arrange an appointment with them. That’s how they’ll know if there’s a need for an appointee in the first place. Then, they’ll interview your selected appointee, and have them fill out an application form. After that, the DWP will send your appointee Form BF57 if they’ve approved of them as an appointee.
Hire a specialized law firm
Again, as we’ve said before, timing is key when it comes to filing an insurance claim. Especially, when dealing with conditions such as black ice. According to Console & Associates PC, the sooner you start making a claim for an injury, the better because it is quite easy for evidence to get lost, and for your memories to get clouded. Needless to say, these things weaken your claim a great deal. Now, if you don’t have anyone to take care of the claim for you, some law firms are understanding enough to completely take over everything with just one phone call from you.
After calling as soon as you possibly can, you won’t have to deal with any insurance company calls or even go through any processes. Of course, we don’t have to tell you that an attorney is guaranteed to get you a much larger settlement than you can manage to get yourself, it depends on how much experience they have. Nevertheless, one thing is constant which is that once you call a firm and let an experienced individual to handle your claim, you won’t have to do anything else.
Now, one question that must be hounding you is how do you make sure a firm is trustworthy if you can’t get out of bed. Well, that’s why websites exist. Without moving an inch, just grab your laptop or phone and look for law firms in your area. You might be tempted to choose the first search result you find because they’re the most popular, but trust us on this one. Make sure you visit several websites and judge based on experience and reviews because ranking high on a search results page is all about marketing and content management. It’s not necessarily a gauge for excellency.
We know that the article covered a huge load of information which may be a lot to take on if you happen to have suffered from a recent injury. So, don’t worry, we’ve compiled for you the important bits that you should take out of all that’s been mentioned above. One, you must start the legal procedure as soon as possible, don’t wait until you recover because once you pass the statute of limitations, you won’t be able to do anything. Two, you could hire someone else by giving them legal permissions through appointing them as your guardian or appointee, or using a document called the power of attorney. Three, if you would feel more comfortable handling everything yourself or if you don’t happen to have anyone you could trust, you can hire a specialized law firm to take care of everything for you while you supervise your claim from the comfort of your house.
