While your case may seem straight-forward to you, evaluating the circumstances and building evidence to prove liability is critical to a high compensation award. A lawyer will review the evidence at hand at the onset of the case, identify liable parties and collect more evidence. It’s possible more than one entity could be liable. In serious cases, a lawyer may bring accident reconstructionists, experts, or other private investigators to bolster the case.

Injury lawyers have experience dealing with a variety of accident types, injuries and nuances of every circumstance. They understand the different types of compensation available and know how to value your claim for the maximum compensation amount. In cases of serious or catastrophic injury, your attorney may bring in experts to calculate damages for your future medical needs and projected income loss.

Insurance companies play a huge role in accident cases. In the aftermath of an accident, an insurance company may try to capitalize on your uncertainty and pressure you to settle with a lowball offer. Once you accept a settlement, there’s no going back for additional compensation later. A personal injury lawyer has the knowledge and skills to go back and forth and negotiate with insurance companies to maximize the settlement.

There are several factors that determine whether or not you have a solid case for a personal injury lawsuit. First, in order to have a case, you must have suffered a physical or emotional injury. And you must have enough evidence to prove that another party’s negligence caused the injury. It’s difficult for most people to determine if they have a case without consulting with an attorney.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims varies by state. In New Jersey, injured victims have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a claim. However, if your case involves an injury on public property, there is a very short window to file a notice of claim -- the first step before a lawsuit. It’s best to contact an attorney as soon as possible after the incident to review your options.

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means that their legal fees are only collected if and when you win a compensation award. There’s no risk in discussing your case with an attorney to understand your options and the types of damages you may be entitled to.

At Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, our attorneys specialize in personal injury, workers compensation, vaccine injury and employment law. Within our personal injury practice, many of our lawyers focus on PIP arbitration, car accidents, truck accidents, slip and fall incidents and catastrophic injury.

Each case is unique and the circumstances surrounding your case will determine how long it may take to resolve. Typically, the more severe your injuries or the more compensation you are seeking, the more complex the negotiation. In some scenarios, the process may take a few months to resolve to a settlement while other claims may take more than a year to resolve.

Don’t accept an insurance settlement offer without talking to a lawyer. Insurance companies are in the business of mitigating claims. As a result, they work hard to pay victims as little as possible and often pressure injured victims to settle quickly for a lowball amount. By having legal representation, your lawyer will handle all communications with the insurance company on your behalf and work toward securing the compensation you rightfully deserve.

The majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court before a trial. And in the cases that do move towards a trial, many of those are resolved between both parties before the matter is decided by verdict. However, having a skilled trial attorney like Brandon J. Broderick ensures that you have the best possible representation for negotiations and a potential trial.

Laws vary by state, when it comes to what is called “comparative negligence.” In an accident in which both parties share some of the blame or liability in an accident in a state that follows a "modified comparative negligence" rule, an injured plaintiff can collect compensation from other at-fault parties as long as the plaintiff was less than 50 percent responsible for the accident or incident that led to the injuries. New Jersey and Florida are both modified comparative negligence states. In these types of complex cases, often involving more than two drivers or parties, consulting with an attorney can help you understand your options.

A release is a document that you sign in return for accepting the settlement funds. By signing the release, you are accepting the settlement and therefore releasing any other claims against the defendant and usually any other defendant related to the incident. In other words, once you settle you can never reopen the case or try to file a claim for additional compensation. If you are married, your spouse may be required to sign the release as well.