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An injury can set you back when it comes to your finances, your career, and your daily routine. Some injuries may even have a lasting impact on your life. If your injury was caused by the fault or negligence of someone else, it’s understandable to seek financial recovery. 

If you have a personal injury claim in Richmond, Virginia, it's time to hire a personal injury lawyer. But what exactly is a personal injury lawyer? What does a personal injury lawyer do? And how do you find a personal injury lawyer? Learn everything that you need to know about hiring personal injury lawyers below.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?

First, let’s break down, “What is a personal injury lawyer?” Personal injury attorneys practice personal injury law, a wide practice area that relates to any injuries caused by the fault of another party. This can include a variety of incidents, such as car accidents, workplace accidents, wrongful death, or medical malpractice. 

Although you are not legally required to hire an attorney, your case will be much more supported and likely to succeed with a legal team at your side. So what does a personal injury lawyer do exactly? Here are all the ways a personal injury lawyer can help with your case.

Investigating Claims

Not sure if you have a valid personal injury case? You can schedule a free consultation with a Richmond personal injury lawyer to discuss the case with them. If you decide to hire them, they can investigate the claim, including the incident, the insurance company’s response, and even any history that the defendant might have of similar cases. This investigation will give you insight into the potential success of your case and will give your attorney an idea of the best way to proceed.

Gathering Evidence

Documentation and evidence are key when it comes to a personal injury case. You can’t let any little detail fall by the wayside. Personal injury attorneys will interview witnesses and get statements, and obtain medical records and incident reports from the police. They will build your case with a solid collection of evidence so that you’re prepared for anything.

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

It is never recommended that the injured party handle negotiations with the insurance company. Insurance adjusters make a career out of making sure the insurance company pays as little as possible. They are experts at twisting your words to discredit your case. 

Meanwhile, a personal injury lawyer makes their career out of defending your case and fighting for your rights to compensation. Personal injury attorneys are experienced in handling insurance companies and understanding how they operate. In most cases, personal injury lawyers will reach a settlement with the insurance company. Only if the insurance company refuses to pay a fair amount will the case go to trial.

Preparing Pleadings

Pleadings are legal documents that state your case, backed by the evidence that proves the validity of your case. A plaintiff can submit a pleading on their own, but inexperience can lead to the pleading being thrown out or discredited by the defense. It’s also time-consuming to develop a pleading and all of the exhibits attached. 

Your personal injury lawyer is here to create and submit your pleading for you. When your lawyer prepares a pleading, you’ll know that it is professional quality and supported by their years of experience.

Conducting Discovery

In discovery, you and the defendant will need to present your evidence and information about the case. Discovery is typically broken into Interrogatories — questions that your attorney has for involved parties  — and Requests for the Production of Documents — a list of relevant documents that you want to be produced for the case. This is another very involved legal document to produce, as is the process of sending out and responding to discovery. However, for a personal injury attorney, this is just another day at work.

Sending Demand Letters

A demand letter is written on your behalf and sent to the other party, formally demanding compensation for the personal injury. Demand letters briefly lay out the situation that transpired between both parties, explaining that you were injured due to the fault of the other party. The demand letter also lays out the amount of monetary compensation that you are seeking in damages. 

Demand letters are sent after you have had time to reasonably recover from your injuries, and they are typically sent to the insurance company. Again, a personal injury attorney will have plenty of experience knowing exactly how to word a demand letter and where and when to send it.

Types of Cases Personal Injury Attorneys Handle

Have you ever wondered, “How much does a personal injury lawyer make?” The general stereotype is that attorneys are all wealthy, but this depends on a number of different factors, such as the size of the law firm or the types of cases the attorney handles. 

Personal injury attorneys are no different, as they can handle various types of cases. These include:

  • Motor vehicle or motorcycle accidents
  • Medical malpractice or negligence
  • Premises liability
  • Dog bites
  • Workplace accidents
  • Hit-and-run accidents
  • Assault, including sexual assault
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Elevator accidents
  • Product liability

Broadly speaking, if you were injured and another party — whether an individual or a company — may have been at fault, your case probably falls under the umbrella of personal injury. Since most personal injury attorneys provide free consultations, you can always schedule a free consultation to see whether your case is one that they will accept. Many personal injury attorneys also work on a contingency fee basis, which means they don’t charge you for their services unless they win your case.

Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm for an Injury Lawsuit

Were you injured in what you think might constitute a personal injury case? Want to sue to gain financial recovery for medical bills and other expenses? Need to know how to find a personal injury lawyer in Virginia that can help you? Contact Commonwealth Law Group today. We focus on personal injury cases, and we’re here to help you with a free consultation.

If you have been injured at work or through the negligence of another individual or entity, contact us at (804) 999-9999 or or use the form below to connect with our legal team. We will fight to get you the justice you deserve.