When to File a Personal Injury Case
Look for a personal injury attorney when you’ve been:
Injured in a car accident,
Slipped/fallen in a retail establishment (e.g., grocery store, Starbucks),
Injured on a construction site by a third-party subcontractor (not the person’s employer), or
Injured by falling debris in a business, sharp objects, or broken/misaligned steps or staircases.
In short, if you have been injured while out in the world, through no fault of your own, consult a personal injury attorney immediately.
Determine If You Have Enough Reason to File a Case
There are plenty of times where someone thinks they don’t have a case, but they actually do.
In law, there’s a concept known as “comparative fault”, which means that an individual may have some responsibility for their injury, but another person, business, owner, or property owner is even more responsible for causing an injury because they were careless or reckless.
Even when someone acknowledges (privately) that they should have been a little more careful, that person or business is liable for any injuries someone sustains.
The beauty of working with me is that because my practice is contingency-fee-based, you can consult with me about your case and there’s not going to be a charge until, and unless, your case is resolved, and a settlement or verdict in your favor is achieved.
There have been times when someone has approached me, and after consultation it turns out that they don’t have much of case.
Cases are broken down into two aspects: (1) liability; and (2) damages.
I’ve had people come to me where there is clearly liability in the sense that, for example, a retail establishment they visited had a liquid/substance on the floor that had been there for a while, but as a result of the slip or fall, there wasn’t an injury. There was no strain, sprain, fracture, break, or injury to the spine, leg or arm. So, while the establishment may clearly be liable for allowing the liquid/substance to remain on the floor for too long, damages likely wont be available because the person suffered no injuries. And when there are no injuries, it’s not worthwhile to file a lawsuit.