Personal injuries can occur in different ways including workplace accidents, car crashes, medical malpractice, and as a result of a slip & fall. You may find yourself physically and/or mentally limited after these incidents and look for support. In that case, you may need a personal injury lawyer to act on behalf of you to ensure you claim your entitlements.
How can a personal injury lawyer help you?
Personal injury law in Australia is detailed and each state has its own law and procedure. You might not get your full entitlements if you are not experienced in such areas. Whereas an experienced personal injury lawyer can:
- Give honest legal advice
- Walk you through the claiming process
- Communicate with insurance companies and their lawyers
- Explain time limits to you
- Help you collect evidence
- Maximise your compensation benefits
- Take your case to court if necessary
Once you start working with a personal injury lawyer, you can only focus on your recovery rather than thinking about your claim.
Can a personal injury lawyer estimate the settlement time of my case?
The answer is yes, they can. An experienced personal injury lawyer can foresee the possibilities and come up with a range according to previously settled claims like yours’.
How do I find a reputable personal injury lawyer?
A reputable lawyer provides honest and accurate advice, understands what you can claim, and puts your mind at ease. Even though it’s always a good idea to ask your friends for a referral, one experience might not reflect the truth.
You can simply have a look at your lawyer’s online reviews; a reputable lawyer should have positive and honest reviews. If you are reading this sentence, you are close to finding one.
How much do personal injury lawyers charge?
It wouldn’t be accurate to generalise all personal injury lawyer fees but some firms like Withstand Lawyers work on a No Win No Fee basis. This agreement will prevent you from paying the legal fee in case of having an unsuccessful outcome. Withstand Lawyers No Win No fee policy means you will not pay out of pocket for legal costs if you are not successful in receiving a financial outcome.
What kind of cases do personal injury lawyers handle?
There are 5 main categories under personal injury law:
If you sustained an injury in a car, motorbike, forklift truck, bus accident or as a pedestrian, you might be entitled to various compensation benefits and/or a lump sum payout.
If you are injured or become ill in the course of employment, you might be entitled to Workers compensation that is a form of insurance to support you regardless of your injury.
If you cannot work due to a physical or mental injury or illness, you may be entitled to a TPD lump sum payout through your superannuation fund(s)
If you sustained an injury because of your health care provider, you might be entitled to claim medical negligence compensation benefits and/or a lump sum payout.
If you have become injured in a public place due to the occupier’s negligence, you may be entitled to public liability compensation benefits and/or a lump sum payout for your injuries.
What questions should I ask a personal injury lawyer?
Even though it depends on your claim, you can start asking the questions below:
- Have you ever handled a similar claim?
- Am I eligible to make a claim?
- What is your no win no fee policy?
- What do you think about my claim?
- How much do you charge and what are your terms??
- How much am I entitled to?
- What are the risks and downsides of making a claim?
- How long will my claim take to resolve ?
- How can I follow the progress of my claim?
Are personal injury lawyers worth it?
If you ask this question to Withstand Lawyers’ clients, they would probably say yes. The team at Withstand Lawyers understand how physical and mental injuries affect your life and know the best ways to assist you by getting straightforward and easy-to-understand legal advice. Withstand Lawyers have offices around New South Wales & Western Australia.
Issa Rabaya
• Bachelor of Laws
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Approved Legal Service Provider to the Work Cover Independent Review Office
• Member of the Law Society
