Q: Are there any special documents I should bring with me when I meet with my personal injury attorney for the first time?
Answer: You should provide as much information as possible to your lawyer. If your solicitor has more information, he will be able to advise you properly about your legal rights. You must bring all the documents related to your case. The accident report is a very important document that you should bring to your attorney. Article by attorney David Slipko (401) 437-1100.
Also, if you have any eyewitness statements or medical records or reports from your doctors, you should bring them to your attorney. If you have a photo of the accident or your injury, please bring it to the attorney meeting. If you do not have the documents, your solicitor can collect the documents for you.
Q: What type of information will my Rhode Island personal injury or automobile accident attorney request at the initial consultation?
Answer: Your attorney will request general information regarding your medical treatment. The attorney will attempt to compile a list of the names and addresses of all treating physicians and medical providers. This includes physiotherapists, chiropractors, visiting nurses and other medical providers. The attorney may also ask you for a list of prior medical providers.
Q: What usually happens at the first consultation:
Answer: The personal injury lawyer you choose will tell you whether you have a valid legal claim or not. If you decide to hire that attorney, the attorney will request that you sign a retainer agreement. The retainer agreement is an important legal document that requires a lawyer to get it done. At the initial consultation, it is extremely difficult for your lawyer to tell you the value of your case. The value of your case is dependent on a number of circumstances including the amount of your medical bills, and the nature and extent of any pain and suffering. The value may depend on whether your injury is permanent, whether there was a period of partial or complete disability, whether there was a disfigurement, scar or other physical injury and the amount of your lost wages, etc.
When you have completed treatment or reached a certain point in your medical treatment, the attorney will provide the insurance adjuster with a demand for settlement along with all relevant medical records and documentation. If the insurance company believes the claim has merit and the insurance adjuster and attorney can agree on a figure, the matter will be settled out of court. Notwithstanding the fact that the lawyer will try to settle the matter, if the matter is not resolved, the lawyer will prepare the case for the court.
Q: What is required to be a valid personal injury case?
Answer: If you were injured as a result of the negligence or intentional act of another person or entity, you have a probable personal injury cause of action. It is not always necessary to have physical injury in order to file a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury lawsuit can be prosecuted based on the intentional infliction of harm to your reputation or emotional distress.
Q: What exactly is a settlement in a personal injury case?
Answer: If you settle a Rhode Island personal injury car accident or slip and fall case, you are in exchange for not pursuing a personal injury case against the person or entity or having the personal injury case dismissed against the person. I am agreeing to accept the sum of money. person or organization. If the matter is settled, you will need to sign a release releasing either party of any potential future liability. To determine whether or not you should accept a personal injury settlement, your attorney needs to assess the amount of damage you suffered, your likelihood of prevailing at trial, and other factors the attorney deems appropriate.
A settlement can be made at any time before or after the filing of the lawsuit and at any time until the verdict of the jury. If the matter is on appeal, the matter can be disposed of even after the trial.
Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc. It is our firm philosophy that whether or not to accept a personal injury settlement is the client’s decision. We’ll be sure to help you make that determination by providing you with all the necessary information and answering any pertinent questions you may have. We will often give our recommendation as to whether the settlement is fair. We always let our clients make the final decision on whether or not to accept a personal injury or auto accident settlement.
Q: What if I am unhappy with the lawyer who is handling my case? In Rhode Island, do I have the right to get a new attorney? If I get a new lawyer, who will pay for the legal services provided by the old lawyer?
Answer: In Rhode Island (RI), you have the right to obtain a new attorney at any time if you are dissatisfied with the legal representation of your attorney. Your old lawyer may have a statutory lien in your personal injury case. If you prevail or the case settles, your old lawyer will have the right to be paid for the legal services he provided to you. However, you will not need to pay the old lawyer if you get a new one. When your case is settled or when you receive money as a result of the judgment, the old and new attorney will split the incidental legal fees equally. In other words, it won’t cost you any extra money if you retain a new attorney. The old and new attorneys must come to an agreement for an equal share to be received by the old attorney.
Q: Is it a good idea to wait a while before hiring an attorney?
Answer: You should contact a Rhode Island personal injury attorney immediately after the accident. It is never a good idea for an individual to deal with an insurance adjuster regarding their personal injury or car accident claim.
Q: Do I need to give a recorded statement at the request of the insurance company?
Answer: There is no legal requirement for you to provide recorded details to an insurance adjuster. However, if the insurance company is your own insurance company, you may be contractually obligated to provide a recorded statement. You should not make a statement unless you have legal representation and you should receive a copy of the transcript.
Q: What type of cases are generally handled on contingency fee basis?
Answer: Car/Auto Accidents, Slip and Fall, Trip and Fall, Premises Liability, Bicycle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Boating Accidents, Truck Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Wrongful Death, Uninsured or Underinsured, Motorist Claims, Emotional Intentional infliction of distress, claim of dog bite, etc.
