You sustained one or more injuries at a neighbor’s house. Whether you slipped and fell or tumbled down a few stairs, the injuries that you sustained have caused you to rack up a substantial medical bill. In addition, you expect to pay for future medical services such as the use of an assistive device and/or undergoing comprehensive physical therapy sessions. Even if you do not incur additional medical costs, you are still on the financial hook. This prompts one important question: Who is liable if you were injured at a neighbor’s house?
The short answer is your neighbor is the most likely party held responsible for you sustaining one or more injuries. Your case probably falls under a type of law practice called premises liability. However, other circumstances can place a legal burden on another party. To determine the answer to the question, “Who is liable if I was injured at a neighbor’s house,” you should contact an experienced and state-licensed personal injury lawyer. What is Premises Liability? Premises liability represents a type of personal injury law that follows many of the same principles followed for other personal injury cases such as car accidents and medical malpractice. This type of personal injury law involved demonstrating that a property owner failed to prevent an accident that caused a visitor to sustain one or more injuries. To win a premises liability lawsuit, your personal injury lawyer must prove the existence of four legal elements. First, your personal injury lawyer must show the plaintiff had a duty of care to protect you against harm. Second, you must prove your neighbor violated the duty of care doctrine by committing one or more acts of negligence. Third, the incident must have directly caused you to sustain one or more injuries. Finally, your injuries must have generated financial losses in the form of medical bills. How Does My Personal Injury Lawyer Build a Persuasive Case? Several factors play a role in helping your personal injury lawyer build a strong premises liability case. Physical evidence is the heart of a strong premises liability case. Your attorney submits photographs of the accident scene, which can be taken by you, as well as any witnesses who saw the accident. If your neighbor installed a security camera system, you might be able to extract video sequences that prove your neighbor committed one or more acts of negligence. Witness accounts of the accident bolster the strength of the physical evidence gathered by your personal injury lawyer. To receive just compensation for your injuries, you must submit copies of all medical bills. This includes the results of diagnostic tests, as well as copies of treatment and rehabilitation bills. Copies of your financial records verify the amount of money you have paid to different healthcare facilities. Notarized statements by doctors and surgeons demonstrate what you can expect to spend for future medical care. Your employer also can help by showing that you lost wages due to the seriousness of your injuries. Take Action Today Hiring a personal injury lawyer who specializes in handling premises liability cases is crucial if you expect to receive just compensation for your injuries. Your attorney conducts a detailed investigation and then calculates a reasonable value for compensation that you use when filing an insurance claim and a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages. Instead of dealing with an insurance adjuster, your personal injury lawyer handles the claim during every step of the review process. Your attorney can negotiate a settlement with the insurance adjuster, as well as the attorney representing the other party. One of the most important responsibilities of your personal injury lawyer is to file a civil lawsuit before the expiration of the statute of limitations.
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Knowing how to react after getting struck by a car might not be on your radar, but it should be. According to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, the number of pedestrians killed by a moving motor vehicle jumped more than five percent in 2020, despite the pandemic shutting down a considerable amount of traffic. One of the most common reasons why we see increases in pedestrian accidents with each passing year concerns the use of mobile electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle.
Reasons aside, you should know what to do immediately after getting hit by a car. Call 911 Calling 911 does two important things. First, it alerts the nearest law enforcement agency about the accident. The officers responding to the scene of a car accident involving a pedestrian conduct a thorough investigation that leads to the submission of the formal police report. Second, calling 911 activities the medical emergency response system. You might not be physically able to call 911, which means a witness to the accident should do it for you. Receive Immediate Medical Care Receiving medical care can help you recover faster from the injuries sustained because of a pedestrian car accident. The closest emergency room is the place where you receive critical, even life-saving medical care. Even if you feel healthy enough to remain at the scene of the auto collision, you should eventually get medical care to detect any delayed symptoms, such as those that develop from whiplash or a concussion. Take Photographs of Your Injuries One important type of evidence to submit when filing an insurance claim and/or a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages involves photographs of your injuries. You should take photos of every injury associated with the vehicle collision, as well as document each injury by writing down detailed descriptions. The personal injury attorney that you hire needs to present the medical evidence to justify requesting a value for compensation. Copies of medical bills and records also provide persuasive evidence for an insurance company and a civil court judge to review. Receive the Formal Police Report As the most influential type of evidence presented for a personal injury claim and civil lawsuit, the formal police report presents a detailed description of what transpired before, during, and after the other party’s car struck you. The formal police report also includes statements made by witnesses, which your personal injury lawyer needs to have to present as supporting evidence. Towards the end of the formal police report, a section should include information that assigns blame for the party or parties that caused the accident. Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Personal Injury Attorney Hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your pedestrian car accident case improves the chances of you receiving compensation for your injuries. Your attorney helps you file a convincing insurance claim, as well as a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages to recover the costs associated with your injuries. Whether you sustained one or more injuries because of an accident or the negligence of another party, how you react following the incident determines how much compensation you receive from an insurance claim and possibly a civil lawsuit. The most important step in the process involves hiring an attorney who specializes in handling personal injury cases.
The ultimate goal of a personal injury lawyer is to get a claim improved by the client’s insurance company or the insurer representing the other party. If the other party committed one or more acts of negligence, hiring a personal injury attorney can help you win a legal judgment or be the beneficiary of a favorable settlement. The top five reasons to hire a personal injury lawyer are based on receiving compensation because of an accident or one or more acts of negligence. Interact with an Insurance Company The business model for insurance companies is quite simple: Receive as much in premiums as possible and pay as little as possible in claims. Even if an insurance claim you plan to file appears to be strong enough to get approved, the insurance company that you have to deal with might deny the claim based on a frivolous reason. Hiring a personal injury attorney provides you with much greater influence during the insurance claim process. Meet Deadlines A personal injury case involves meeting a few deadlines, with the most important deadline consisting of filing a civil lawsuit before the expiration of the statute of limitations. Most states have established the statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit at between two and four years, but the deadline can be as short as one year (Kentucky) or as high as six years (Maine). Gather and Organize Evidence Submitting persuasive evidence represents the key to getting an insurance claim approved, as well as reaching a settlement or winning a legal judgment. A personal injury attorney knows how to investigate a case to collect and organize evidence such as photographs taken of the incident scene and obtaining video footage from a security camera. Interview Witnesses You have many responsibilities to assume after a personal injury incident, and acquiring the names and contact information of witnesses is one of the most important tasks completed to build a strong case. Personal injury lawyers interview witnesses to receive information that supports the physical evidence gathered for submission to an insurance company. Negotiate a Settlement Negotiating a favorable settlement helps you avoid going through a costly and time-consuming civil trial. A skilled personal injury attorney knows how to calculate a reasonable value for monetary damages that is presented as the initial offer. Presenting an overvalued submission for monetary damages can derail your case. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, you may have been offered a settlement by the insurance company of the responsible party. It is important to speak with a personal injury lawyer before talking to an insurance company and especially before accepting a settlement. Your personal injury lawyer may feel that you have a strong case for a larger settlement or may recommend taking your claim to trial.
You could receive more compensation than a settlement offer by taking your lawsuit to trial although a trial could take longer and is not without risk. Speaking with an experienced personal injury or car accident lawyer is the best way to determine the strength of your personal injury claim. Here are some things that you can do to improve your personal injury case: 1) Do not say too much after an accident – It is better to not say too much at the scene of an accident until you have had time to calm down and speak with a personal injury lawyer or a car accident attorney if involved in a vehicle accident. If you say too much at the scene of an accident you could jeopardize your case. 2) Get medical attention immediately - do not put off seeing a doctor even when you feel your injuries are minor. Soft tissue injuries can worsen with time and may not be apparent at the time of the accident. Emergency room visits and doctor appointments will help to document your injury following the accident. Make sure you attend all appointments and continue recommended treatments. 3) Keep all medical bills and receipts - be sure to obtain copies of all your medical bills, hospital records and receipts for prescriptions or medical equipment. Keep all of your pay stubs and document any time missed from work due to your injury. 4) Do not speak with the insurance company of the responsible party - do not talk with the insurance company of the responsible party without the advice of your personal injury lawyer. Be aware that it is the job of the other party’s insurance adjuster to reduce or deny a settlement altogether and they will be looking for you to say something that could hurt your case. 5) Use caution when posting on social media - social media accounts can provide insurance adjusters with a wealth of information to use against you in your personal injury claim. Posting photos of doing things that contradict your injury claim can seriously damage your case. Schiff & Associates has been providing trusted legal representation for personal injury claims in Ohio for more than 35 years. We offer the combined skills of a powerful legal team and attorneys experienced in litigating catastrophic injury claims and wrongful death. Contact us to speak with a top personal injury lawyer in Ohio. Being the victim of a car accident that was not your fault is a traumatic experience, with damages ranging from mild to severe. If you or a loved one were injured in an auto accident due to the negligence of another there are a few things that you should do to maximize your compensation for your claim. If you are left to deal with a lifetime of pain from any type of injury, whether it be back pain or debilitating headaches, you deserve compensation to the fullest extent of the law.
In wrongful death cases, while nothing can bring back your loved one, a financial recovery allows you to focus on what really matters, physical and mental recovery. If you’ve been the victim of a car accident, please follow these tips to maximize your settlement. 1) Document All Details from the Accident Document as much as you can about the accident while it is still fresh in your mind. You should always write down the name of the other driver, the make and model of their car, license plate number and get their auto insurance information. Even if you don’t think you incurred an injury you should obtain a police report and get checked out medically. A police report may be the best line of defense in case you need ongoing medical care or your case goes to trial. 2) Seek Medical Care Immediately Do not wait to seek medical attention, even if you think you may just have a sprain, a strain, a sore neck or some bruising that you think will clear up quickly. Seek medical attention immediately as injuries from a car accident may not appear right away due to the adrenaline increase at the time of accident and the way that soft tissue injuries may worsen over time. Be sure to obtain and keep all of your medical records from each visit. 3) Follow Doctor’s Orders Be sure to follow the advice of your physicians if they tell you to rest or attend physical therapy or rehabilitation appointments. Taking care of yourself is important and following the advice of your physicians only strengthens your case by proving your due diligence to recover from your injuries. 4) Document All Missed Work and Earning Losses Keep track of all missed work for every doctor appointment or hospitalizations. If the accident caused you to miss out on overtime, promotions or additional earning potential be sure to document any future earning losses as well. 5) Be Honest About Personal and Emotional Trauma Seek counseling for any emotional trauma or for dealing with grief and loss. Victims of car accidents that deal with chronic pain often feel depressed due to living in a constant state of pain. Seek help from a therapist with experience in treating patients of chronic pain if you are experiencing constant pain or depression. 6) Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company of the At Fault Driver Do not have any conversations with the insurance company of the at-fault driver until you speak with a car accident lawyer who has your best interest at heart. The other party’s insurance carrier has one goal, to minimize their claim. They may record your conversation and try to use it against you at a later time to reduce your claim. 7) Hire a Car Accident Attorney Hire a car accident attorney with experience in personal injury and automobile accidents. Your personal injury lawyer will give you the best advice in how to maximize any settlement from an auto injury claim. We hope that you never have to experience pain and suffering from an automobile accident. If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of another, you deserve full compensation. Schiff & Associates is a personal injury law firm with experience in helping our clients get the results they deserve from automobile accident injuries and wrongful death cases. We offer a team of specialists who help to evaluate your injuries, long term consequences, loss of income and potential income. Contact us to speak with a personal injury lawyer who has your best interest at heart, to get the results you deserve with the maximum settlement amount allowed under the law. Accidents from motor vehicle crashes, slips and falls and workplace incidents cause many types of injuries, including soft tissue damage. Soft tissue damage may not be as noticeable as a broken bone but should not be overlooked. These types of injuries can take a long time to heal, may require ongoing medical care and could significantly impact your quality of life.
Soft tissue injuries include:
If you’ve experienced an accident due to the negligence of others that resulted in any type of injury including soft tissue damage, it is important to speak with a personal injury lawyer. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you receive the compensation you deserve. Personal Injury Lawyer Experienced in Soft Tissue Damage Schiff & Associates in Columbus, Ohio is an experienced personal injury law firm with a successful track record for handling thousands of soft tissue injury cases each year. We are experienced in personal injury and wrongful death cases, with the expertise to resolve your injury claim quickly and recover all expenses associated with your injury. We conduct a thorough investigation of medical records and evidence to recover the maximum financial compensation available under the law. Contact us for a free initial consultation and case evaluation from an experienced personal injury attorney with expertise in soft tissue damage. Our team is committed to fighting for your rights and getting the compensation you deserve for current and future medical expenses as well as loss of income, pain and suffering. Schiff & Associates has provided trusted legal representation to the Columbus, OH and surrounding areas since 1982. We offer experience in personal injury and wrongful death cases, getting our clients the results they deserve. Contact us for a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, approximately three million people are non fatally injured in a car accident each year in the United States. Costs for medical care from crash related injuries combined with productivity losses topped $75 billion in 2017. Injuries sustained from automobile accidents can result in many injuries which may not even be apparent at the time of the crash.
The most common types of injuries from automobile accidents include whiplash, skull fractures and pelvic fractures with whiplash the most common type of injury incurred by a rear end collision. Whiplash can cause many symptoms, some that may get better after a few weeks, a few months or may linger for many years in severe cases. Whiplash may cause many symptoms:
Some of these symptoms may get better over time, while in other cases whiplash can cause traumatic brain injury that affects your ongoing earning ability and quality of life with symptoms such as:
If you experience any of these symptoms following a car accident it is important to seek medical attention right away and speak with a car accident attorney. Medical expenses may continue after an initial emergency room visit and could develop into long term medical conditions. You may experience ongoing medical expenses, physical therapy, surgery or lost wages. Speak with an experienced auto accident attorney to recover full medical expenses and damages for loss of wages, pain and suffering. How Auto Accident Attorneys Help Determine Medical Costs Schiff & Associates Co., LPA is an experienced personal injury lawyer in Ohio, offering a full team of experts and respected specialists. We analyze your current injuries and expenses, forecast future losses and fight for your rights. Since 1982, we have been helping accident victims to receive the compensation they deserve from a multitude of injuries, including damages for whiplash, serious nonfatal injuries and wrongful death cases. Our team of experts fights on your behalf to recover the full medical expenses and range of damages you are entitled to under the law. We work with our respected in-house CPA and a broad range of medical experts including vocational rehabilitation counselors to assess your total current and future losses. Schiff & Associates offers an experienced legal team with a history of getting our clients the results they deserve since 1982. We know that your financial recovery is just as critical as your physical recovery following an auto accident. Contact us for a free initial consultation and speak with a leading personal injury attorney in Columbus, Ohio. Automobile accidents range from a fender bender with no injuries, to one that may cause serious injuries or even death. If you are involved in any type of car accident, here are some tips on what NOT to do. In the state of Ohio and any other at-fault state (as opposed to no-fault states) the person who caused the accident, who is at fault, is responsible and their auto insurance should compensate you for any damages including damages to your car and medical bills.
You should know that it is important to contact the police for a police report when involved in an auto accident and trade information with the other driver, specifically their contact and insurance information. There are some other things, however, that you should not do as compiled from a top Ohio personal injury attorney. Here’s our list of the top 5 things NOT to do after a car accident: 1) Do Not Apologize It may be in your nature to say “I’m sorry” when involved in any car accident, whether or not it was your fault. Be careful, these two little words could be used against you by the other insurance carrier and construed as an admittance of guilt. Feel free to check on the other driver without offering an apology, it’s always OK to ask if they are all right, just don’t mutter an apology when the accident was clearly not your fault and even if you think it may have been your fault. Do not admit guilt to the other driver, witnesses or police until speaking with your own auto accident attorney. 2) Do Not Trust the Other Driver to Do What’s Right Without Police or Insurance Involvement This happens more frequently than we like, someone runs into you and begs you to not call the police because they cannot afford an insurance hike or a ticket. As compelling an argument as they could make at the time, there is no way you can trust this individual to do what’s right. They may offer to pay you directly for damages, although in our experience this never pans out and you may be left with no compensation for damages to your car or medical expenses. Always make a report so that you do have proof of the accident, record the facts including make, model and license plate number of the other vehicle. Take pictures of damages if you can. 3) Don’t Wait to Visit a Doctor Always err on the side of caution even when you don’t think you experienced any serious injury. Frequently, car accidents cause injuries that are not noticed right away and may worsen over time. This gives you peace of mind in knowing nothing serious may have occurred, like whiplash, a back or spinal cord injury that you may not even be aware of, while also providing proof that your injuries were caused by the accident. 4) Do not Speak Directly with Their Insurance Company The insurance company representing the at-fault driver has a goal to minimize their claim amount and pay out as little as possible. This is where the expertise of your own car accident attorney will provide you great benefit. Take the advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer and never talk to the other insurance company before first speaking with your own lawyer. This is very important, as they will most likely want to record your phone call and can use anything you say against you to reduce your settlement. 5) Never Accept a Lowball Settlement Offer You may be contacted rather quickly following an accident by the insurance company wanting to offer you a cash settlement. Never accept this offer before you speak with an experienced car accident lawyer who has your best interest in mind. In many cases, if you are left out of work for a few days or weeks, they will be aware of this and will count on you needing some quick cash. Resist the urge to accept a lowball offer and first talk to a personal injury lawyer to determine what a fair settlement amount should be. Schiff & Associates is here to help, with legal services to protect you and your rights. If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation. We guide you in the best way to respond in cases of a car accident and always fight for the fair settlement you deserve. An automobile accident which leaves you or a loved one injured is a traumatic experience, especially when serious injuries or fatalities occur due to another’s negligence. Serious injuries such as spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may leave someone permanently disabled with severe impact to enjoying the same quality of life.
If you or a loved one has been injured or worse, from a car accident that you feel was due to the negligence of another person, don’t wait in contacting a personal injury attorney. How a Personal Injury Lawyer Helps Car Accident Victims It’s important to contact an experienced personal injury law firm such as Schiff & Associates quickly after an accident. We answer all your questions and put all your fears to rest. For nearly 30 years, Schiff & Associates has been fighting for the rights of accident victims, putting all our years of experience to work on your behalf. In many cases, your immediate and long term ability to make a comparable standard of living could be affected. We understand the devastation crippling accidents can cause to your and your family. We determine the true cost of your injuries and work with medical and rehabilitation specialists to help determine the extent of your losses, short and long term. In the tragic event of wrongful death, you need the guidance of an experienced car accident attorney to help you with all unfortunate ramifications. This is an extremely unsettling time where your attention should be focused on helping your family through difficult times. Schiff & Associates helps you to obtain the settlement you deserve, including payment for things like advice, guidance and grief counseling as well as current and future loss of income, loss of companionship and punitive damages. We understand how upsetting any type of car accident can be. Contact a professional who can help you focus on what’s important and fight for your rights. Schiff & Associates have provided trusted legal representation in many car accidents, personal injury and wrongful death cases since 1982. We have a reputation for getting clients the financial recovery they deserve so they can focus on their physical recovery. Contact us for more information and to speak with the top personal injury attorney in Ohio. You may be reluctant to hire a personal injury attorney as you think it is too expensive and are seriously considering settling with the insurance company on your own. There are several reasons why this can be a bad idea.
To start with, just the fact that you have an experienced attorney representing you can make a difference in the outcome and be well worth the amount of money you pay the lawyer. The insurance company now knows you have an expert representing your claim who is someone who is not going to be persuaded to take an unfair settlement. Furthermore, remember the insurance representatives have been advised by their lawyers, which is all more the reason why you need one working on your behalf. Other reasons to hire your own attorney include the fact that personal injury cases can be complicated and involve complex legal rules that a lay person does not know anything about. Or it may be your injuries are so severe that your compensation should exceed the amount that is normally awarded. Also a skilled personal injury lawyer can help to get you a fair settlement when the insurance company was not willing to settle in good faith. Another thing to remember is that most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means you will not pay any legal costs or fees unless there is a settlement. The law firm of Schiff & Associates has been providing our clients with quality legal representation and personal services in cases of personal injury and wrongful death for thirty-five years. Please visit our website for information on how to set up a complimentary case evaluation and consultation. The experienced attorneys at Schiff & Associates have offered the area trusted legal representation in cases of personal injury and wrongful death since 1982. We have a history of getting clients the results they deserve and recognize that financial recovery from an accident is just as important as physical recovery. Call today for information regarding legal services from Columbus, Ohio’s top personal injury lawyer. |
AuthorSince 1982, the attorneys of Schiff & Associates have provided our clients with quality legal representation in cases of personal injury and wrongful death. Our clients benefit from the combined skills of a powerful legal team. Archives
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