PERSONAL INJURY OVERVIEW
Adults and children can suffer injuries any number of ways. Sometimes it is just “one of those things” and not really anybody’s fault. Other times, however, people are injured when another person or company is negligent, or careless. It may be a driver who drives right through a red light, a company that makes a dangerous product, or a doctor who operates on the wrong leg.
In those cases where one is injured because another person is careless, the injured person may be able to recover money to help compensate for lost income, medical expenses, and for pain and suffering. The concept of recovering money for personal injuries is hard for some to understand. Perhaps, it can best be thought of as “repayment” for damages suffered as a result of those injuries. It does not make sense to burden an injured person with thousands of dollars of medical bills when the injuries were caused by someone else. If one is unable to work for several months while recovering from injuries caused by another, it is only fair to repay the injured person for those lost wages. Similarly, if the accident victim has to spend the rest of his or her life in pain or confined to a wheelchair, there should be compensation for that.
Indeed, most of us buy insurance that is specifically designed to compensate an injured person if we should happen to cause injury through our own carelessness. We pay money to insurance companies to protect our assets and make payment in case we hurt another person. Our insurance companies make millions and millions of dollars every year by taking in more money in premiums than what they pay out in settlements. The insurance industry is truly big business.
Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorneys At Herrick & Hart
When the personal injury attorneys at Herrick & Hart analyze a case, there are several key factors that we look for. We want to know whether it is likely that we can prove the injuries were caused by the carelessness of someone other than our client. We need to find out whether we can prove the injuries suffered are serious enough to warrant investing time and money into the case. We will learn if there is insurance coverage or some other way the careless party can pay for the damages.
There are many laws and rules that may apply to a particular case. Some have to do with whether a party has been careless in the circumstances involved. Some deal with the amount of damages that may be recovered. There are laws that determine how long an injured person can wait before taking legal action. If a person waits too long, his or her right to be compensated for the damages is lost completely.
The personal injury lawyers at Herrick & Hart know the laws and rules that apply to your case. We have been representing injured people for decades. We use our knowledge and experience to protect your interests and be sure that our clients are fairly compensated for their injuries and losses. We work with the doctors and insurance companies involved. Sometimes we have to fight with the insurance companies for our client’s rights. We will not permit out clients to be taken advantage of by the insurance companies.
The great majority of the time we are able to convince the insurance company involved to pay our client a fair amount without the need for a trial. Sometimes this is a fairly painless process, but sometimes it is a real battle to get a case settled. You see, the insurance company wants to pay as little as it possibly can, whether it is fair or not. We won’t let that happen. If we cannot settle the case by agreement, we are always prepared to go to trial and let a judge or jury decide what may be fair compensation.
Legal fees are normally paid at the successful conclusion of the case. When the case is settled or decided, the attorney fees will be a percentage of the total recovery. If there is no recovery, there are no legal fees to be paid. This is what is known as a contingent fee. In most cases, Herrick & Hart will pay for all out of pocket costs associated with preparing the case. On successful conclusion of the case, our client repays those costs from his or her share of the settlement. Normally, those costs need not be repaid if there is no recovery.
Any time there is an accident with serious injuries an attorney should be contacted as soon as possible. An investigation may be necessary. Photographs may need to be taken. Witness may need to be interviewed. Experts may need to be hired. Rest assured that the insurance company involved will be doing all these things and if they can sway the case against you, they will. Protect your interests from the start by contacting the personal injury attorneys at Herrick & Hart. The initial consultation is free.
Only an experienced personal injury attorney can assess the strength of a case. The personal injury lawyers at Herrick & Hart have nearly one hundred years of combined experience working with accident victims. We have handled:
The following articles about personal injury law may also be of interest to you:
You & Your Personal Injury Claim
Answering Questions About Accident-related Injuries
At The Accident Scene, What Should I Do?
But My Insurance Adjuster Says I Don't Need A Lawyer
How Much Is My Injury Claim Worth?
Herrick & Hart Personal Injury Attorneys of Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Please contact us for help with your legal needs or concerns.
The attorneys at Herrick & Hart provide expert advice to people who have suffered a loss or been injured. If you or someone whom you care about has been injured, please call (715-832-3491), e-mail us to arrange a free initial consultation with the injury lawyers at Herrick & Hart, or complete the online personal injury case assessment form to have your case reviewed by the personal injury attorneys at Herrick & Hart.
The team of personal injury lawyers at Herrick & Hart represent people throughout northwest Wisconsin. They litigate against insurance companies based in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and across the nation, and most frequently help clients who were injured in or are residents of Eau Claire county (Eau Claire, Altoona, Augusta, Fairchild, Fall Creak, & Seymour), Chippewa county (Chippewa Falls, Cadott, Cornell, New Auburn, & Stanley), Taylor county (Medford, Gilman, & Stetsonville), Rusk county (Ladysmith, Hawkins, & Weyerhauser), Barron county (Barron, Rice Lake, & Cameron), Dunn county (Boyceville, Menomonie, Colfax, & Downing), Clark county (Abbotsford, Colby, Neilsville, & Thorp), Marathon County (Wausau, Abbotsford, Colby, Brokaw, Evergreen, Marshfield, Mosinee, Rothschild, Schofield, Spencer, Unity & Weston), Portage county (Stevens Point, Amherst, Plover, Rosholt, & Whiting), Wood county (Wisconsin Rapids, Port Edwards, Nekoosa, & Marshfield), Jackson county (Black River Falls, Taylor, Merrillan, and Alma Center), La Crosse county (La Crosse, Brice Prairie, Onalaska, Holmen, & West Salem), Monroe county (Sparta), Douglas county (Superior), Sawyer county (Hayward), Ashland county (Ashland, Odanah), Bayfield county (Bayfield, Mason, & Washburn), Juneau county (Elroy, Mauston, Necedah, Union Center), and St Croix county (Baldwin, Hudson, New Richmond, North Hudson, River Falls, Spring Valley & Wilson), Pierce county (Bay City, Ellsworth, River Falls, Spring Valley).
