Personal Injury occurs when a person has suffered some form of injury, either physical or psychological, as the result of an accident or negligence on the part of another person or organization.
It can also be any injury resulting from libel, slander, malicious prosecution, or false arrest, any bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death sustained by any person and caused by an occurrence for which the state or anyone else may be held liable.
A personal injury lawyer provides legal representation to these injury victims.
Personal injury law is complex and most of the cases deal with tort law.
Therefore personal injury lawyers are well versed in tort law.
In any accident, there are many formalities to be completed with the authorities.
A P.
I.
lawyer will deal with the authorities in behalf of his injured client.
He will also negotiate with the insurance company to get the maximum compensation for the client.
If the insurance company wrongfully denies or delays the claim, the lawyer can file a lawsuit against the insurance company.
A personal injury lawyer will investigate the cause of the accident, fixed the liability and file a lawsuit against the responsible party to get the maximum possible compensation for his injured client.
Personal injury lawyers generally deal with cases including, but not limited to: work injuries, automobile and other accidents, defective products, medical mistakes, slip and fall accidents, wrongful death and others.
All P.
I.
lawyers charge a fee for their services.
In most cases, the fee is a percentage of the compensation the client receives.
The client may have to pay a small retainer upfront to cover the expenses.
However there are many lawyers who work on a "no win no fee" basis.
There are no special qualifications for becoming a P.
I.
lawyer.
Like all lawyers, a P.
I.
lawyer must have a JD degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school and must have cleared the state bar exam.
Before a personal injury lawyer can practice in a state, he must pass the state bar exam.
Before a P.
I.
lawyer takes up a case, he will interview the client and evaluate the case.
Most lawyers offer a free initial consultation.
The ultimate professional goal of a P.
I.
lawyer is to get the maximum possible compensation for the client.
Personal injury claims must be brought within a specific period of time after the accident, after which they become 'statute barred' and will not succeed.
The length of this strict time limit varies from state to state, but is shorter than in most other types of cases and is usually around 3 years.