When to Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer in Mobile, AL

Sometimes it is hard to know when you should contact a lawyer to file a personal injury claim.  The most commonly pursued personal injury claims involve vehicle accidents, bad faith insurance, slips and falls, industrial disease cases, product liability, medical negligence, workplace accidents and other ways in which the negligence of a person or entity cause bodily or emotional harm to another.  When you are the victim of negligence that causes you harm, you are not without recourse.  Contact our Mobile, AL personal injury lawyers at Charles McCorquodale Law today to find out how we can help.

When Should I Call a Lawyer After an Injury?

You may need to employ an attorney to represent you after a serious injury.  Especially if the liability isn’t immediately clear, your injuries are severe, or the insurance company you are filing a claim with fails to settle in good faith.  If you are in Mobile, AL and any of the following elements are true for your situation, call us today.

1. The injuries you suffered are have created long-term or permanent disabilities. If the negligence of another party or parties resulted in an injury to you that requires care long-term or is responsible for disabilities that are permanent, call an attorney immediately.  A competent and experienced attorney can help you to determine how much your claim is worth, including how the disabilities may affect your long-term potential for income and compensation for the mental and emotional trauma that the injury caused.  Without an attorney, you will probably not be able to trust that the other party or their insurance supplier will accurately determine the value of your claim.
2. Your injuries are severe. The value of claims is largely determined by the severity of injury. When insurance companies decide how much your claim is worth, they will base the number on what type of injury you have, your resulting medical costs, and how long it will take you to recover.  With severe injuries, the amount of your claim may be more than the policy covers which could leave you without the full compensation amount.  An attorney that is experienced in handling injury claims with insurance companies can help you acquire the full amount.
3. Multiple parties contributed to the injury and/or liability is unclear. When multiple parties could be liable, the claim becomes significantly more complicated. The goal of the insurance companies is to pay only what they must, and a legal professional can assist in the claim process to assure you get what you need.  Additionally, there are circumstances where an insurance company may find that you had some fault in the accident as well and a counter claim can reduce your compensation amount to little or nothing.  If you could be at-fault, even partially, contact a lawyer to be sure your rights and claim are protected against potential claims against you.
4. The insurance company refuses to pay or acts in bad faith. There are times when the insurance companies utilize bad faith tactics in order to avoid paying out compensation claims.  These tactics include denial of claims without reason, valuing the claim at an unfair amount, delaying or even denying requests or decisions for medical treatment approval, refusing to pay or delaying payment, threatening the claimant, misrepresenting the language of applicable policies or laws, or refusing a claimant’s rational request for documents.  If negotiations with an insurance company have broken down or they are displaying any of these behaviors, a personal injury attorney will be able to help you get your claim back on track.

What are Common Types of Personal Injury Claims?

Personal injury claims can take many forms but there are some categories that are common and that we specialize in.

Product Liability – When a product is designed, manufactured, or labeled in a way that is dangerous, and the consumer is injured as a result, a personal injury claim may be appropriate.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 38 million people required medical attention because of a product-related injury.  While all of those injuries aren’t the fault of the manufacturer, some certainly are. For a product liability claim to be successful, it must be proven that the product was defective and the defect cause injury while the product was being used as intended.  The defect could be an inherently flawed design, negligence or flaws in the manufacturing of the product, or a lack of warning labels or instructions developed and packaged with the product.

Nursing Home Abuse – With a growing older population, the nursing home industry is booming.  While most do their best to care for residents, nursing home abuse still remains common.  If your loved one is a nursing home resident, and displays unexplained cuts and bruises, bloody or torn clothing, unsanitary conditions, or broken bones, they may be the victim of abuse.  Our team is experienced in getting compensation for the necessary costs and justice for the family.

Dog Bites – Lots of dog owners are responsible and their dogs are well managed, but dog attacks are still not uncommon.  They are most likely to happen on the property of the dog owner and children ages 5-9 are the most common victim.  Dog bites are almost always a product of the behavior or negligence of the dog owner and a personal injury attorney can help to negotiate with the parties involved to compensate the victim and family for  related medical bills and the mental anguish that results from being attacked by a dog.

Workplace Accidents – Injury can occur in any type of workplace.  Common causes of workplace accidents are poor housekeeping or sanitation, missing protective safety gear, old or malfunctioning equipment, and in some cases, egregious behavior on behalf of a company representative.  Slips and falls, burns, electrocution, and lacerations are all examples of common workplace injuries.  If you were injured at work, you may be entitled to compensation for all relating costs.

If you or a loved one is has been injured as a result of the negligence of another party or parties, Charles McCorquodale Law should be your next call.  Our experienced team will work hard to help you get the compensation you deserve.  Fill out our free consultation form today.