Americans alone file more than 700,000 personal injury cases each year, according to legal professionals. Out of those 700,000 people, more than 350,000 receive a green light from a judge who declares the defendant guilty of the neglect. You have a high likelihood of winning a personal injury case if you have injuries from an auto accident, slip-and-fall occurrence, medical foul or something similar. However, you need a polished attorney by your side who can ensure that you receive the type of settlement that you need in your life. It’s not enough just to win; you must win in every aspect.
If you win a personal injury case, the judge may award you compensatory damages and punitive damages. Compensatory damages cover all of your medical expenses. They may also include your medications, therapeutic treatments, household bills and more. Punitive damages deter offenders from repeating the offenses, and they can also provide you with extra funds so that you can reclaim your life. Citizens often refer to punitive damages as payment for “pain and suffering.” The judge may have the offending party distribute your settlement in one of the several ways.
Structured Settlements
Structured settlements are installment arrangements for personal injury cases. In other words, the offender could arrange to pay you your $500,000 settlement in 10 annual payments of $50,000. One of the benefits of the structured settlement is that you have “pending income” to look forward to each year. The downside to structured settlements is that they may prevent you from having the funds that you need for your personal ventures.
Lump Sum Settlements
Lump sum settlements are agreements to pay you the entire balance at once. For example, you would receive one check for $500,000 instead of many installments. The benefit to a lump sum settlement is that you have all of your funds at your fingertips at once. The offending party may try to get the judge to order structured settlements. That is one of the main reasons that you need an attorney by your side.
Why You Surely Need an Attorney
The other party can railroad you without a lawyer. You may not receive the compensation that you deserve without an attorney. Furthermore, you may not receive the payment structure that you truly need without a lawyer. An attorney can act as your confidant, protector, negotiator and overseer. Allow our experienced personal injury lawyer Harron Law to help you through this tough experience.
Do yourself a huge favor and contact a seasoned personal injury attorney to represent you in your case. Most likely, you will not have to pay anything up front, so the risk is non-existent. Schedule a consultation today and protect your back tomorrow.
