Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers' Personal Injury FAQs
You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers
How Do I Know if I Need An Attorney?
This is a great question, because not everyone who is injured in an accident needs to go out and hire a lawyer. For instance, if you were in a minor fender bender and had a sore back for a couple of hours that went away never to return, you probably don't need an attorney. But, if you ended up in the operating room and can hardly remember the accident, you definitely want to get a kick-ass lawyer on your side!
Fun Fact: The Insurance Research Council found that people who have an attorney receive an average of 3.5 times more for their personal injury settlement than people who handle the claim themselves.
Read the 11 questions to consider when deciding if you need a personal injury attorney.
Do I Have a Case?
To know if you have a viable personal injury case, you need to ask yourself if you have been injured as the result of someone else's negligence. This inquiry involves three things: 1. Liability, 2. Injuries, and 3. Causation.
Liability: The accident must have been caused by someone else, not by you. For instance, if you hit a tree on your motorcycle because you took your eyes off the road, you do not have a case. But, if a truck drifted into your lane and hit you, you may have a case, if the two below items are met. Note: In California, even if you are partially at fault, as long as some portion of the accident was caused by someone else, you may have a case. Now on to the next requirement.
Injuries: If you did not suffer any injuries from your accident, you don't have a personal injury case. If you did sustain injuries from the accident, you may have a case. However, if you only sustained minor injuries for which you received little or no medical treatment, you may have a case, but not all personal injury law firms will take on your case. (Some firms will represent clients with minor injuries like whiplash, cuts and bruises, but Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers only represents people who suffer serious injuries.) If you suffered serious injuries - like broken bones, injuries requiring hospitalization and/or surgery or Traumatic Brain Injury, and received reasonable medical treatment, you likely have a case... but only if the final element below is met.
Causation: Now, you have to link the liability and injuries together with something called "causation." You do that by asking, "Was the other person's negligence the direct (or a substantial) cause of your injuries?" For instance, if you have chronic back pain and your back hurts after a car accident, you may not have a case. But, if you were in good health and you broke your leg in the accident, you have a case. That is not to say you have to be in perfect health before an accident in order to have a case, but your injuries (or the significant exacerbation of prior injuries/medical conditions) must be the direct result of the accident.
If all three of these elements are met, you probably have a case and should get the help of a solid personal injury lawyer!
Still wondering if you have a case? Get a FREE case evaluation from our 5-star rated personal injury team 24/7 to find out now.
How Much is My Case Worth?
Unfortunately, no one can accurately tell you what your case is worth without digging deep into the details of your accident, your injuries, your monetary damages and your life before and after the accident.
An attorney may be able to give you a really rough ballpark figure based upon some basic numbers like your total medical bills and exact loss of earnings. But, until they know all of the details of your case, an accurate estimate will be almost impossible.
There are several factors that determine the value of a personal injury case. So, don't trust someone who tells you what they think your case is worth if they don't have all the information.
Read more and/or watch a video about how to calculate your case's settlement value here.
Or, click below to get a free case evaluation from our team of traffic accident experts.
How Do Personal Injury Attorneys Get Paid?
You may have seen personal injury attorneys advertise "no win - no fee." This means that a personal injury lawyer does not get paid unless and until they get you a settlement or judgment in your case.
Personal injury lawyers are paid on a contingency fee basis which means their fee is a percentage of the amount they get for you as a settlement or judgment. So, it is in yours and your attorney's best interest for them to get you the highest settlement possible!
Check out our video about how fees work at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers.
How Long Does the Personal Injury Process Take?
This really depends on a few key factors: 1. Your medical treatment and recovery time; 2. Whether there will be a liability dispute in your case; 3. Which lawyer you select to represent you.
Because you only get one chance to settle your traffic accident case, you want to wait until you have finished your medical treatment and fully recovered from your injuries before entering settlement negotiations.
If the other party is claiming you are fully or partially responsible for the accident, this can add to the amount of time your case will take, as you may likely have to litigate your case in court.
Which lawyer you choose can make a big difference in how long your case will take to settle. Some law firms will sign you up and sit on your case until the statute of limitations is up or they may drag you through unnecessary litigation - both which can eat up months of time. Other law firms will get right on the case and diligently work to get you a good settlement as efficiently as possible.
Learn more about how long the process takes if you work with Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers.
How Do I Know if Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers is Right for Me?
Is Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers right for your CASE?
If you were in a bicycle, car, motorcycle, pedestrian or rideshare accident in California that resulted in serious injuries like broken bones, injuries requiring surgery, Traumatic Brain Injury or death, Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers is right for your case!
Is Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers right for YOU?
If you want a low-stress resolution of your traffic accident case and want to get back to your work, your family and your life, Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers is right for you!
Check out our video and our easy-to-follow infographic to help you determine if we are the right fit for you.
What Happens if I Hire Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers?
Well, first of all, you can relax a little, knowing that Sally and her team have got your back. Once we get started, Our first priority is to relieve your stress by taking over your case so you can get back to the important things in your life.
Check out our video on exactly how the process works if you choose the 5-star rated team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers for your traffic accident case.
Here's our infographic of what you can expect if you hire Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers.
Ready to get started with Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers? Click below to see if we can help.
Want More Answers?
Get a copy of our answers to 64 of the most common questions people have about:
- Personal Injury Claims
- Personal Injury Lawyers
- The Personal Injury Process
- How to build a strong personal injury case
- Insurance Coverage in Personal Injury Claims
- Medical Bills and Treatment
- Property Damage Claims
- Fees and costs in a personal injury claim
- why sally morin law
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Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers
25 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 413-0033
12655 West Jefferson Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Phone: (323) 283-8211