Life has a tendency to throw us many surprises. And even though sometimes these surprises might be welcomed events in our lives, this isn’t always the case, especially when it comes to personal injury.
It’s one thing to say that accidents happen. But when they happen due to no fault of your own, you should be able to seek compensation for your injuries from the responsible party. The only problem is, sometimes this can be difficult if you don’t know the proper steps to take.
Picture this: You’re riding along on your moped when out of nowhere a forklift engages you in an impromptu jousting match. Next thing you know, you’re lying in a hospital bed looking at extensive surgery that will likely be expensive and leave you out of work for a while.
Now the likelihood of that scenario happening might not be too high. But no matter the situation, if there is someone at fault for your injury, you have the right to fair compensation.
Report the Incident and Seek Medical Attention
Your first move after sustaining any form of personal injury is to seek medical attention immediately and report the incident to the appropriate authorities. And this is done specifically so you have proper documentation of the injury.
For example, if you’re injured at work, you’ll want to report your injury to your supervisor and to your HR department if applicable. Correspondingly, if you were injured in an automobile accident, you’d report your injury to the local authorities such as the sheriff or the city police department.
Once you’ve filed the appropriate paperwork and have received needed medical attention, you should then begin the process of seeking compensation for your injuries. But if you have a problem with uncooperative parties, you’ll likely need to seek legal counsel.
Seek Legal Counsel
If you need to file a lawsuit, you’ll have to hire an attorney. And depending on where you live, you’ll likely have quite a few options to consider.
For example, if you live in Chicago, you should seek the legal expertise of a Chicago injury lawyer. Lawyers who work at local firms have the experience and expertise that you’ll need in order to navigate the legal system and get you the money you deserve.
The process for working with a personal injury attorney is quite simple, and these professionals typically offer free consultations for their services just to give you an idea of how the process works, and if they’ll be able to accept your case.
Further, you may also receive instructions from your attorney as to how to properly communicate with the responsible parties. However, most attorneys will likely advise that you do not seek to communicate with anyone (or any entity) responsible for your injury just in case complications arise.
Make Financial Arrangements
Many people who suffer from a personal injury may be able to complete the steps for filing a claim. But when it comes to making financial arrangements for their obligations, this step often goes unchecked.
For example, it’s probably highly likely that you still have bills to pay along with creditors that will want to see you pay your bills on time. But if you’re going to be out of work and can’t cover your bills with your savings, you’ll need to make arrangements until you receive compensation. And this can actually be a simple process as long as you do so in a timely manner.
A few actions you can take are:
- Contact your landlord and ask for leniency
- Check out government bill assistance
- Contact your creditors and ask for a grace period
- Ask to apply for hardship assistance (if available)
- Consult your benefits package to see if you have emergency paycheck assistance
- Talk to all your creditors and explain your situation
Believe it or not, many creditors will be happy to work with you because they’ll likely want to keep you as a customer, especially if you have built a history with them. And you’ll never know until you ask. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call or an email to explain your situation, and you may be surprised at the leniency and empathy that you may receive.
Nobody sets out to get injured. And when accidents happen that are no fault of your own, without fair compensation, you’ll probably have a tough time recovering financially. Thankfully, by following the steps outlined here, you’ll be able to get the money you deserve and get on with living your life with little worry.
