If you’ve suffered an injury that’s partially someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help you cover medical bills and more. However, not every accident means you have a personal injury case. Here’s how to know whether you should file a lawsuit.

A Guide to Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When You Should Consider a Lawsuit

If you sustain an injury due to the negligence of another person or business, you may have a valid personal injury case. Situations in which you may be justified in seeking compensation include vehicle accidents, wrongful deaths of loved ones, workplace injuries, nursing home abuse or neglect, dog bites, and injuries occurring on someone else’s property.

Being involved in an accident doesn’t make you entitled to compensation. Other factors include the extent of your injuries, and how much pain and personal loss you’ve endured. In Wisconsin, you may still receive an award even if you’re partially responsible for the accident. You will have the strongest case when you can show that you required medical treatment, sustained a disability, lost wages, or have trouble working again.

Why You Need an Attorney

Initiating your case, maneuvering it through the legal system, and presenting proof requires an experienced attorney. Thankfully, most personal injury cases never proceed to trial. Instead, the parties involved often agree to a settlement.

In Wisconsin, the state statute of limitations requires you to file a personal injury lawsuit within three years of the incident or your discovery of injuries due to its occurrence. If you wait any longer, you’ll likely have your case dismissed.

Receiving Compensation

Arriving at a fair settlement requires partnering with a legal expert who will negotiate with the other side. They must also deal with insurance companies since they’re often the source of your compensation.

Generally, you’ll only pay your attorney a small percentage of your settlement or award when they recover compensation for you. It’s an arrangement that means you pay nothing out of pocket while your lawyer works hard to get you the largest possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.

If you’ve suffered a loss due to an accident caused by someone else, you should have a trusted legal expert look at your case. Throughout the Platteville, WI, area, the respected team at Scott & Heenan LLC, have helped personal injury victims receive fair compensation since 1999. Call (608) 348-9506 to schedule a consultation today. You can also visit them online to learn more about their services.