Denver Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by another person or entity, you may be wondering what you should expect from your personal injury case, as well as how long it is likely to take. Since the majority of personal injury cases will settle without going to court, you may not reach every state discussed, as your claim could settle at any point. Your first priority following an injury is to obtain proper medical treatment. Even in situations where you feel your injuries are not that severe, remember that during any accident your body receives a jolt of adrenaline which can mask symptoms of an injury. Therefore, in most cases, you should see a doctor, whether at an ER or your own general practitioner, after an accident.

Depending on the accident, and the extent of your injuries, if you are physically able, it is always a good idea to take photographs at the scene of the accident, obtain contact information for any witnesses to the accident, and keep a careful record of all details associated with the accident. Your personal injury attorney may find any of all of these invaluable resources for your Denver personal injury claim…

For virtually anything more than the most minor of incidents, it is a good idea to discuss the situation with an experienced Denver personal injury attorney. If you are comfortable with the process, confident you can achieve a fair result, and your injuries are very minor, you could potentially handle the claim on your own. Anything else absolutely requires help from a Denver personal injury attorney. If you have more than very minor injuries, the other side is resisting paying what your claim is worth, you are out of work for more than a couple of days, or you have medical expenses that total more than $2,000, talk to an attorney as quickly as possible.

One of the first things your Denver personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya will do is to thoroughly interview you, finding out everything you know about the accident, your injuries, and your past, current, and (likely) future medical treatments. Your attorney will obtain your medical records, as well as all medical bills related to your injuries. If your attorney believes your claim can be settled for a reasonable amount, a demand will be made to the negligent party’s attorney or insurance company. Your attorney will wait to make such a demand until he or she is confident you have reached what is known as maximum medical improvement, or MMI. This means you are considered “recovered,” to the extent possible.

If negotiations fail, a personal injury lawsuit will be filed by your attorney. Unfortunately, it can take a significant amount of time for a personal injury case to make it to trial, but in many cases, the other side will settle for a reasonable amount rather than go through the uncertainty of a trial where a jury could award an even larger settlement. The discovery phase of the process allows each party to investigate what evidence the other side has, and what the legal claims and defenses will be. Interrogatories may be sent, as well as document requests. In some cases, depositions will be taken. When discovery ends, the attorneys will generally discuss a settlement. Depending on the facts of the case, mediation may be ordered.

Should settlement discussions and mediation be unsuccessful, the case may be scheduled for trial, which could last days, a week, or longer. It is important that the Denver personal injury attorney you choose is both an experienced negotiator as well as an aggressive litigator. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya meet both of those criteria.

Once you come to us following your accident with injuries, we will:

• Review the facts, answer your questions, and discuss your legal options
• If we feel you have a strong case, we will offer representation on a contingency fee basis
• Thoroughly investigate your accident
• Thoroughly investigate your injuries and medical treatments
• Identify all liable parties
• Present the other side with a demand letter
• Always treat you with respect and compassion
• Always stay in close communication with you throughout your case
• Negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf
• Litigate your case when necessary

In truth, most claims are settled through negotiations, however, it is crucial your Denver personal injury attorney is equally comfortable negotiating a claim or litigating the case.

FINANCIAL RECOVERY FOLLOWING A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM

Your accident may not have only left you with physical injuries, emotional injury, and pain, you may have also suffered financial issues related to those injuries. Economic recovery refers to a number of routes to compensation that will benefit you, aiding in the process of restoring your quality of life, both physical and financial. Special damages are those that are easy to quantify—things you can show a concrete amount for, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and lost future wages.

General damages are less easy to quantify such as emotional pain, PTSD, mental anguish, trauma from the accident, etc. Damages will be determined based on the extent of your injuries, the likelihood of future pain and suffering, whether the pain is chronic and may be permanent, whether you will recover completely or will always have some level of disability, and whether you have suffered lost wages or will be unable to return to work.

Medical expenses include hospital care, physician expenses, prescription medications, rehabilitative therapies, surgical procedures, and, in some cases, travel to and from a medical specialist which can include hotel and meal costs. Mental anguish or trauma can include feelings of grief, isolation, depression, fear, terror, and lost dignity, or such things as nightmares, flashbacks, insomnia, or other consequences of your accident. Loss of quality of life can encompass the inability to engage in activities or hobbies you once enjoyed and can no longer engage in and can also mean being unable to complete Activities of Daily Living— which are simple day-to-day tasks you could easily complete prior to the accident.

All of these factors go into the determination of how much financial compensation you are entitled to receive. Some people think that because an attorney takes a percentage of the final settlement, they would be better off handling the case on their own. In truth, however, those who have a strong personal injury attorney on their side are likely to recover a much larger settlement—without having to undertake complicated legal work.