Howdy! I'm Dan Smith and I live with my wonderful family in Perth. This is my legal blog which aims to look at every part of the legal system. I should point out that i'm not a lawyer myself. However, my good friend Stan has been representing people in court for many years. I find Stan's work fascinating and I love asking him questions. I have even done a bit of my own research into the legal system. I decided to pull everything together here so I could organise my thoughts while also providing useful info for others. Thanks for checking out my blog!
Suppose you suffered an injury at the workplace. In this case, you have a right to receive compensation for the injury. A personal injury lawyer will represent your interests and help with the legalities of securing compensation. The excerpt below details some disclosures you should make to your lawyer to improve the chances of a positive outcome.
1. The Immediate Cause Of The Injury
Workers compensation works if your injury was a result of the employer's negligence. Therefore, your lawyer will need to know the cause of the accident to establish if you qualify for compensation. The rule of thumb is that you should be honest with your lawyer. Remember, most personal injury lawyers offer no-win-no-fee arrangements. As such, the lawyer's reputation and pay are on the line once they take your case. If you were partially negligent, the lawyer will explore various angles and alternatives to help you get compensated. For instance, suppose you were injured after working long hours; the lawyer could argue that oppressive work policies forced you to work for longer.
2. How You Reacted After The Injury
Your reaction after the incident can significantly affect the compensation process. For instance, your injuries could have become more severe if you did not seek medical attention immediately. On the other hand, an existing illness could affect the healing process. For example, if you have diabetes, you could develop neuropathy or complicate the wound healing process.
3. Any Witnesses At The Site
The lawyer will want evidence that the events happened, as you explained. It will help strengthen your case with the insurance company or your employer. Typically, the lawyer will interview the witnesses to determine if their evidence will help your case. For example, a witness with a contradicting turn of events could negatively affect the outcome of the case.
4. Your Current Income
Why does your income matter? Well, when claiming compensation, the lawyer will consider lost wages. Therefore, you should provide them with your payslips if your employer did not pay you while you were recuperating.
5. Medical Expenses
Your medical expenses will be at the centre of your compensation claim. Therefore, you must provide your lawyer with your medical receipts. You may also have incurred additional costs if you needed rehabilitation or underwent therapy to help you manage the trauma associated with the injury. In this case, your lawyer could ask for extra compensation for pain and suffering.
When consulting with your personal injury lawyer, disclose the cause of the injury, how you managed the injury, the witnesses at the site, your income, and medical expenses.
Share14 October 2021
