If you've been injured and it wasn't your fault--or not entirely your fault--you're entitled to compensation. Whether it's a private person, a business, or a government entity, your goal is to create a compelling argument for a few different questions:
- Is the injury bad enough to warrant compensation?
- Can your legal opponent afford to cover your compensation?
- Could you sue multiple parties?
Each question covers multiple situations where you're not only arguing for your own rights, but figuring out how to not waste time on techniques that aren't worth your time. Here are a few personal injury compensation points to keep in mind as you fight for the compensation you deserve.
Outline Your Compensation Requirements First
To ask for any specific amount of money, you need a personal estimate as a minimum. The ultimate cost of your injury-related issues will always be an estimate until something is finalized in court, but you should have an early estimate to keep in the back of your head--mostly to avoid being caught off guard by sudden cash offers or temptations from your legal opponent.
At the bare minimum, all medical costs must be covered. Even this part is a rough estimate in some cases, because future medical care with specialists who may have months-long backlogs can be hard to figure out. It gets even more uncertain if your injury leads to a long-term disability, but a rough monthly cost can be irons out with an attorney and a medical professional with experience in your injury's complications.
Next, figure out how much money you haven't been able to earn. Wage and salary workers have the easiest time, since you just need to add up the days missed and the normal working hours for wage workers. Contractors need to put forth a bit more effort because contracts are not on the same timeline restrictions as permanent employees, but an attorney can help you with justifications for earning outside of your current--or recently expired--contract.
Challenging Multiple Parties
When demanding compensation, you don't have to stick to suing one person, or even a single group. This is often a mistake that people make when they're injured in a store, near a construction site, or in a place of business near hazardous equipment.
The equipment vendors may also be liable for damages, but the window for legal challenges is very thin. There are a few specific situations where your victory is ensured, but it's usually when gross negligence through product failure occurs.
This includes equipment falling apart and causing damage because of a fault that can be traced back to manufacturer error and not the owner of the product. If it's the owner, your legal challenge is limited to that owner. If there's a product fault in general, you can challenge the vendor and possibly the installation company.
Because of the distributed guilt, you may be able to get more people on your side. The owner of a business will breathe a sigh of relief if they're no longer responsible, but it's in their best interests to get a replacement product for safety and compensation for damage to their reputation.
Contact a personal injury attorney to discuss the multiple levels of compensation opportunities.
