When dealing with a personal injury case, questions may arise and cause confusion or stress for the injured person. If you’ve suffered injuries from accidents involving cars, bicycles, slip and falls, or any other accident, you deserve the compensation owed to you from the party at fault.
At Knutson + Casey, our legal team is able, and willing, to provide all the information our clients need for a successful personal injury case. When you’re wondering what to expect from a personal injury settlement or what is necessary to pursue compensation, our attorneys are here to help you.
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When you’ve been injured in an accident or as a result of another person or company’s wrongdoing, you can seek legal help to get the compensation owed to you. First, you must file your injury claim against the insurance company responsible and liable for the damages. Most personal injury cases are resolved as a claim with the insurance company without the need for any lawsuit or litigation. This means they are resolved with monetary compensation paid to the injured, and they are not handled in a courtroom lawsuit.
When you’ve been offered a settlement from the insurance company, discussing the case and the details of your injuries with our lawyers will help you maximize the compensation you receive, as we are skilled in negotiation and have a strong knowledge of the law. Most settlement offerings are initially far less than justifiable for an injured client’s loss and suffering. Often the insurer will offer a minimum amount, just to try and get it resolved quickly. An attorney is helpful to the injured party to understand the full value of the insurance claim and case.
The liable party pays the injured person outright without undergoing a lawsuit in a courtroom during a settlement. In Minnesota, auto accident cases involving negligence against the other driver often have a six year statute of limitations, meaning a person has 6 years from the date of the accident to bring a claim and file in court. However, there are circumstances where this can be as short a 2 years, so it is critical that you speak to an attorney to determine which time limit applies. In some cases, the law requires a legal notice in as short as six months. Call an attorney to find out which time limit applies to your claim, so that you do not lose your rights.
If you miss the deadline to file your injury claim, you will forfeit your rights to any negotiation or lawsuit. It’s essential to get your claim filed right away and get your legal team to help you gather all of the documentation needed to prove negligence on the liable party’s part. A skilled lawyer understands the law and can help you seek compensation that helps you in your recovery and helps you recover from lost damages and injuries.
Most of our client’s claims start as a claims process with the various insurance companies involved. Often cases are resolved for fair amounts within 3 to 6 months. In other cases, if the offer from the insurance company is unfair, the matter can be filed with the court and take much longer. The most difficult part of any case is determining the fair value for all of the injuries incurred by our clients. This is not a simple process and involves many factors, including wage loss, medical bills, what the amount of future medical bills will be, pain and suffering, disability, and scarring or disfigurement. Our attorneys sit on panels to help other law firms determine the value of their client’s cases. It is a difficult process.
Personal injury cases can settle for as low as a few thousand dollars, or into the millions. It is difficult to determine the value of a client’s case and their injuries, due to the number of factors involved. Every personal injury case is different, but the elements included for valuing compensation are economic damages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages. And the ultimate value is what 6 or 7 jurors would decide in a jury trial, which itself can vary greatly.
The time it takes to settle can vary depending on the type of case. In personal injury cases, such as a slip and fall or motorcycle accident, the extent of injuries and damage may not be apparent right away. This can delay the final settlement offer and the calculation of damages. Most of our client’s cases settle or resolve in 5 to 9 months. Some cases take years to resolve, when extremely complicated. Once a claim is settled, Minnesota law requires insurance companies to issue settlement checks within 5 days, although sometimes it takes a bit longer.
Hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer is important because a legal team knows what to look for and is on your side. If you go at it alone, you may not know about all the damages that apply to your case and the value of your personal injury claim. The process to reaching your settlement includes these steps
When you reach the point of receiving settlement offers in response to your injury claim in Southern Minnesota, our team at Knutson + Casey can help you evaluate the details of your case and determine the value owed to you. Settling, when it is the better option, may become a lengthy process. Our legal team is here to help you and guide you through the entire process.
At Knutson + Casey our legal team has helped thousands of clients in the Southern Minnesota region reach successful settlements with rightful compensation for their pain, suffering, and losses in an accident. If you’ve been involved in an auto accident, dog bite, or any other kind of accident in Southern Minnesota, our legal team is here to help. Our attorneys are successful in personal injury law and can guide you through the legal process after reviewing your case. Reach out to us using our contact form or give us a call at (507) 344-8888 to schedule your free consultation.