Personal Injury

Spinal injuries are one of the most serious types of health damages that a person can experience. Suffering the pain itself alone can make it difficult to focus on anything else in your life, more or less having to take care of bills that stack up while you’re unable to work properly. Most spinal injuries are caused from car accidents, but also happen from falls, assault, sport injuries, or even medical malpractice.

When any spinal injuries are caused by the recklessness or negligence of another party, you deserve to be compensated; not just for medical help you need but also for your pain and suffering when your life has been severely impacted by your accident. Dealing with the pain from your injuries and as life keeps moving though you feel like you cannot, hiring a personal injury lawyer for your spinal cord injuries helps you maneuver your claim and get you the compensation you deserve allowing you to heal with less stress.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Your spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that run down the middle of your back and are shielded by your vertebrae. The spine is the body’s most critical component as it carries messages from the brain to the rest of the body. When you experience any damage to your vertebrae, your spinal cord can become damaged as well and affect that connection from your brain and your body.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

After you have been in an accident, it can be hard to determine what type of spinal cord injury you have. Immediately after an accident, you should seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis and how to follow up with treatment. There are two categories for spinal cord injuries, incomplete and complete.

Incomplete vs Complete

• An incomplete spinal cord injury, the function of the spinal cord is only partially compromised. Symptoms can vary from individual and their injury, but some symptoms include back and neck pain, muscle spasms, partial loss of movement, partial sensation loss, or chronic pain below the injury.
• A complete spinal cord injury is when the brain is no longer able to send messages down the spinal cord to the injury. This can end up leading to complete loss of sensation, complete loss of motion, difficulties controlling bladder or bowels, or difficulties breathing.

Key Reasons to Hire a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

You are entitled to compensation if you are irresponsibly harmed by an entity or person. Before you confront the person or company, you should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Professional Experience

A spinal cord injury lawyer will bring a different level of expertise to the table when filing your personal injury lawsuit. They will be diligent with filing your claims and fight for the best compensation for your injury, which is something that can be difficult to do when you are in pain and recovering.

Understanding the Value of Your Claim

There are plenty of times where people do not recognize the monetary value that is available from their spinal cord injury claim. There are a lot of factors when your claim is being valued and only an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer will be able to put a price to it. This may still be only an estimate, but it is important to still consider and to gain perspective about your claim.

Familiar with the Legal Process

A skilled and experienced attorney often handles spinal cord injury claims on a regular basis, meaning they are much more familiar with the law and the processes; from documenting legal files, to properly filling out forms, and what any limitations might be. A good lawyer is there for you and ensures you will not be taken advantage of. You can end up spending much more money if going head to head with insurance companies that will try to avoid paying as much as possible.

Offers Protection for Your Family

By hiring a spinal cord injury lawyer, you’ll not only be protected and compensated for your injuries, but your lawyer also can help protect your family during your recovery. Compensation means more than just the damage for your injuries, it includes covering family financial burdens, home modifications, adapted cars for driving with a disability, or even physical or mental therapy.

Hiring a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Near You

Hann Law Firm in San Jose, California wants to help you receive the best compensation possible. We fight tenaciously and are expert negotiators to make sure you are taken care of and will not settle for less than what is rightfully yours. Your pain and suffering is enough to deal with and we take the reins so you can focus on healing and moving through the next chapter of life.

Contact us today; nobody needs to face these challenges alone. Get the compensation you deserve.

After an injury happens out of negligence or an accident you are left dealing with shock and pain from your injury, potentially not being able to work, and a great deal of medical bills. While going through these hardships, it may be difficult to juggle pursuing a personal injury claims at the same time. You may think you will spend less money by filing a personal injury claim yourself, but in the long run you can find yourself spending more precious time, energy, and money instead of focusing on healing from your injuries.

You Can Harm Your Chances When Working Alone

Personal injury claims are typically more complex with a strict process to follow accompanied by deadlines and lots of paperwork and evidence to get together. Communication, negotiation, and litigation is involved in these cases and most people do not have the expertise or skill level to deal with these processes.

You can minimize the amount of stress you have during this time and maximize your compensation by asking an experienced lawyer for help. A personal injury attorney will help you by:

• Having experience with claims like yours
• Knowledge about the laws and legal processes in your state
• Contact with quality investigators and other lawyers
• Alternative ways in helping reach a resolution
• Qualified representation during your trial

We want to show you the most common mistakes when you represent yourself rather than calling a personal injury attorney to help with your case.

Lack of Experience

Having someone who has worked with cases similar to yours can give you the guidance you need when navigating through a personal injury claim. They have the knowledge of state laws and processes, what kind of evidence you’ll need, and all of the documentation in order to build a strong case. They also will be able to prepare you and give you a reasonable expectation by knowing all the potential hurdles and setbacks that can happen with your claim.

Forms and Documents

Paperwork is a huge part of a personal injury case and missing deadlines or filling out documents incorrectly can be the small mistakes that can be very costly. You may not know what needs to be filled out, where it needs to be mailed, or even the types of documentation you need to get from certain sources. A personal injury attorney will explain and guide you through providing all the documents you need so you don’t have any delays in your financial recovery.

Needing Outside Perspective 

Dealing with an injury is an emotional time and overwhelming feelings can have a negative impact on your mental health. Your attorney will be able to offer a different perspective throughout your case that can ease your mind by fully explaining what you should expect and what may not happen in your case.

Having Support Through Your Case

Without support when representing yourself, it is easy to feel lost filing your claim and that you have nowhere to turn. Your personal injury attorney will have access to their colleagues and other support to turn to for advice and to get a second opinion.

Because it is so stressful and tiresome to keep up with deadlines and having to be patient during each step of your case, many people decide to abandon their case altogether. The amount of paperwork, questions asked, evidence needed, it is understandable to want to give up. With an attorney, they will see your claim through from beginning to end. They have a better idea of what the process is like and what is normal for the court to do, helping you understand and feel less lost throughout the process.

Financial Risk When Representing Yourself

A main reason that people will try to DIY their legal matters is to save money, but the financial risk in representing yourself can be a lot greater than just having to face paying attorney fees. Other than the amount of money you can lose by walking away from your claim or accepting a lower settlement, other expenses from things like obtaining reports, postage, court fees, or specialist advice can easily add up.

Having a lawyer protects you from the costly mistakes you can accidentally make and offer you experienced advice for the best outcome possible.

Getting Legal Advice From A Personal Injury Attorney

At Hann Law Firm in San Jose, California, we can help you through your personal injury claim and build you the strongest case to receive compensation for your injuries. We know how difficult it can be going through a stressful time legally, while simultaneously dealing with pain and suffering. We work tirelessly with our skilled attorneys to help you receive the justice you deserve.

Contact us today and find a personal injury lawyer in California to talk about your circumstances and see if we can move your claim forward.

With social media being such a huge part of our lives it is very easy to want to share when something happens to us, big or small. It is almost second nature to share with friends or family online using posts, photos, or videos. But if you have been injured in an accident and are pursuing a personal injury claim, posting on social media can lead you to some future difficulties and have negative consequences for your claim.

Our personal injury lawyers have seen problems in the past when clients share too much online. We want to show you how social media can impact your personal injury claim, why you should avoid sharing at this time, and some tips to follow while your claim is pending.

How Can Social Media Impact My Claim?

Despite your injuries and pain being legitimate and interrupting your life, social media posts can contradict what you are feeling and potentially undermine your claim.
You could potentially mention something online about going to work, on a vacation, or the gym. Maybe you yourself are in denial about how bad your injury is and talk about that in a post or video. Insurance companies are vigilant and use any evidence they can find to downplay your injuries and accuse you of fraud.

Courts have been allowing social media posts to be used as evidence and because of this, any posts you make during this time can be used against you. When pursuing your personal injury claim, you will need to supply evidence that supports your claim, with things like medical records, expert testimonies, witnesses of the event, and friends or family that testify exactly how this injury has affected your life. Insurance companies will present any possible evidence to deny your claim in order to take zero responsibility by extensively combing through your social media accounts.

Tips to Follow While Your Personal Injury Claim is Pending

Here are some steps you can take to make sure your social media won’t affect your personal injury claim:

Adjusting Privacy Settings

Even if you have a private account, understand that anything you share online is never really private, but there are still ways to make it a little bit harder to find information about you. It only takes a few minutes to go over your privacy settings on each of your social media accounts. Recommended privacy settings include:

• Who can view your posts
• Review all your existing posts or things you are tagged in
• Change your profile to private
• Who is allowed to send you friend requests
• Who can see your friends or following list
• Who is able to see your email or phone number
• Not allow search engines to link to your profiles

Resist Posting About Your Accident

Social media is one of the first places we turn to when involved with something upsetting and when we get through a troubling situation. Remember that an insurance adjuster still could use this against you. In order to protect your rights and for the best possible outcome from your case, think about what you are posting and if there are any potential issues that it can cause:

• Avoid posting about your case in general, and make sure your friends and family understand they cannot post about your accident or injury either
• Wait to use social media until your case has been completely resolved
• Avoid accepting any new friend requests or any new connections at all while your case is ongoing. Someone from the insurance company, the defense counsel’s firm, or a person connected to the defendant can try to get your information or keep an eye on you for any possible discrepancies.
• Although it may be hard, avoid posting about your frustrations about your case.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney for More Advice About Your Claim

The best thing you can do during your personal injury claim is to avoid social media altogether. This may feel difficult to do, but instead of posting or leaving comments, right now you can just view others’ posts in the meantime. You can update friends and family through the phone or in person about your case instead and give any updates to followers after your case is finished. 

Finding a personal injury attorney for your case is also one of the best things you can do for your case. At Hann Law Firm in San Jose, California, we can help you through your personal injury claim and build you the strongest case to receive compensation for your injuries. We are here to protect your rights and give you advice every step of the way with our extensive experience in a wide variety of cases.

Contact us today for seasoned and skilled counsel so you can face your challenges head-on with the support you need.

There are plenty of myths and misconceptions surrounding personal injury lawsuits, which unfortunately can keep many people from filing claims. Some of these common myths circulate throughout social circles and media, leaving those who are dealing with long-term effects and injuries feel as though they are not entitled to compensation. 

Misconceptions About Personal Injury Myths

To have a more realistic expectation through this process, let’s take a look at the most common misconceptions surrounding personal injury claims, lawsuits, and lawyers:

Your Insurance Will Cover All the Costs

Injuries from car accidents are very common, yet insurance companies only pay approximately half of the costs associated with vehicle accidents. Victims of car accidents may have to pay up to 25% of their injury or repair costs out of pocket, and depending on the severity of the accident, these costs can add up quickly. Depending on your coverage, your insurance rates may also increase. This gives plenty of reason to file a personal injury claim, as insurance companies will often refuse to pay what the claim is worth.

It’s Greedy to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit

This perception is typically the reason so many people choose to not file a personal injury claim, but if you have been the victim of someone else’s negligence or malicious intent, it is not greedy to require medical expenses and property damage repairs to be covered. Medical bills add up quickly, and property damage can inflict trouble in your everyday life and your ability to work. Filing lawsuits against those who have caused harm is important to hold them responsible for their actions, and seeking justice for your own property damage and injuries may help mitigate those damages to others in the future.

Personal Injury Lawsuits Take a Long Time

Not all personal injury lawsuits are the same, so it is impossible to determine how long a claim may take to process. Some cases can be complicated, which can take years to resolve, whereas some are straightforward and able to be processed in a shorter amount of time. Most injury lawsuit cases are not sent to trial, and victims are compensated through negotiations of both parties.

You Can File a Personal Injury Claim Any Time After Your Accident

There are occasionally personal injury victims who think they should wait to file their claim until their injuries have healed, but with statute of limitations in place, it’s important to contact a lawyer immediately after your accident. In California, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years that begins from the date of your accident. If you believe a state, county, or city agency is at-fault for your accident, you have six months to file a claim. When seeking compensation for property damage, like vehicle repairs or replacement, you have three years. There are some occurrences where you are able to extend the time frame to file your lawsuit, but typically these circumstances are complex and limited.

The Negligent Party Will Pay Out of Pocket

Some victims in an accident will choose not to file a claim against the person at-fault because they believe the other party will have to pay out of pocket for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, and property damage. Even if the other party is responsible for the accident, their insurance will be paying the settlement and compensation. Your lawyer will be negotiating a settlement with the insurance company, while you pay out of pocket or through your health insurance for your own medical expenses until the negligent party is obligated to pay a certain amount.

You Are Guaranteed Compensation

Many personal injury claims can be resolved without appearing in court. While it is rare, if your case does go to court, a jury will be required to determine if you deserve compensation for your injuries. Each case is different, and depending on circumstances, your compensation amount will vary. Even if you are able to prove the other party is guilty, the defending legal team can evade liability, so it is important to gather as much evidence as you can for your personal injury attorney to review every detail of your case in order for you to receive the best possible compensation.

It’s Not Worth Hiring a Lawyer for Minor Injuries

Even if your injuries are relatively minor, the costs of hospital visits, diagnostic tests, or ongoing treatment can add up over time. Instead of paying for these expenses out of your own pocket, the other party should be liable for those costs. It is important to never downplay any of your injuries, and if you are a victim of someone else’s negligence or malicious intent, you should not have to pay for medical expenses to treat your injuries. 

Trusted Legal Support from Hann Law Firm

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the very start. We address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome in the courtroom, and create a personalized plan to help guide you through your personal injury lawsuit and receive the compensation you deserve.

We know your case is important to you, and we take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us, and we’re here to provide the best quality legal representation.

Contact us for a free consultation if you or someone you love has suffered from any type of injury, and let us help negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement on your behalf.

After suffering a serious personal injury, recovery can feel impossible when you have medical bills, paperwork, and insurance companies looming over you. Handling a personal injury claim on your own can be difficult, and without professional knowledge, you can end up with a lower settlement, longer claims process, or not receive any compensation at all. 

Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney can ensure your claim is handled efficiently, so there is less time waiting for your compensation that could help benefit your recovery. Personal injury lawyers are able to investigate the accident you were involved in, process insurance claims, and represent you in court.

Let’s take a look at how handling your claim with a trusted personal injury attorney can help protect you, and ensure you receive the justice you deserve.

Pursuing the Best Compensation 

When hiring a personal injury lawyer, you have a higher chance of receiving financial compensation. A personal injury lawyer with experience will be able to seek compensation on your behalf, covering medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses associated with your accident. Personal injury claims do not often go to court, and settlements are usually reached through negotiations between you and insurance companies of those who caused you harm. Personal injury lawyers are often familiar with these insurance companies, and are not swayed by any of their tactics, nor feel pressured to settle for a lesser compensation.

Working with an attorney who has your best interest can ensure you receive the best settlement offer possible, rather than settle for a speedy compensation out of anger, pain, frustration, or fear.

Accident Investigation

Revisiting the place where you were injured can be emotionally and physically draining, so having your lawyer accompanied by a specialized investigation team can be extremely helpful when gathering evidence needed to prove your case. While they interact with the parties at fault, insurance companies, or law enforcement on your behalf, you are able to focus on your own recovery. Your lawyer will listen to your own accounts of the incident, but may need more investigation on the people or company that were involved in the damages against you. 

Handling Paperwork and Expediting Your Claim

Hiring a personal injury lawyer can save you time and effort when it comes to handling paperwork, and stay on top of your claim in order to expedite the process as quickly as possible. In many cases, personal injury claims can take months, or even years, due to insurance negotiations, legal paperwork, witnesses, and other countless delays. When recovering from an injury, waiting for a payout can be stressful and financially crippling in the meantime. Having an attorney who can expedite your claim, or help suggest strategies in the event of going to court, will swiftly get you the compensation you need.

Representation in Court

In the event that an insurance company denies the claim, or offers an unfair compensation, you will want to file a personal injury lawsuit and have your case handled in a civil trial. While you may decide to represent yourself, the defending party most likely will have a professional litigator working for them, and not having a professional on your side can lead to a misstep in your case due to unequal expertise. Your lawyer will be an advocate for you, and know the arguments necessary to be persuasive to a judge or jury. 

Prior Professional Experience

A reputable personal injury law firm will likely have represented others in similar cases, and know the appropriate steps to take, facts and information needed from you, common mistakes made, and have knowledge of the state’s legal system. Having experience in this specific area of law can help you assess your claim from the very beginning, and determine if your claim is worth pursuing in court.

While court action is usually the last resort, having someone who understands your specific situation and understands court proceedings can help your chances of winning your case. Any unforeseen legal challenges that arise during the process are resolved by your attorney when they have professional experience from past cases.

Personal Injury Help at Hann Law Firm

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the very start. We address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome in the courtroom, and create a personalized approach to help you through your personal injury claim.

We know your case is important to you, and we take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us, and we’re here to help you see through it every step of the way. You deserve justice when being injured due to someone else’s negligence.

Contact us for a free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal guidance today.

When you suffer a spinal cord injury, it can feel like the world has come to an end. Not only are you dealing with physical and emotional pain, but you may also be wondering how you will support yourself and your family. Fortunately, an attorney can help you navigate this delicate situation, and aid you in getting your life back on track. 

You may wonder how much money you could potentially receive in damages to cover your ongoing care and lost wages. Unfortunately, there is not an easy answer to this question. Each case is unique and depends on the injury’s specific circumstances, such as how you were injured and who is at fault.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, you’ll want to do some research to find out exactly what you need to do next. We can help by providing an overview of what you can typically expect from a spinal cord injury lawsuit in California. Keep in mind that this information should not be taken as legal advice, and you should speak with an attorney directly to get more accurate information about your particular situation.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

The amount of compensation depends on many different variables such as what event caused the injury, the extent of injury, impacts on daily life, expected medical bills, and the expected amount of time to recover— as well as future opportunity costs related to any ongoing disability caused by the accident. With an experienced attorney on your case, it’s possible to have a claim worth over one million dollars, especially if you’ll experience lifelong disabilities.

What Factors Affect Spinal Cord Injury Compensation?

Your case is unique, and all the case facts affect what compensation you receive. Two of the main factors that may affect compensation are liability and the prognosis from your injuries if someone other than you is liable for the accident that caused your spinal cord injury, especially if they acted recklessly and without regard for others.

Your spinal injury is the main factor tied to your compensation. For example, if you should become permanently paralyzed, you would receive more compensation than someone whose injury resulted in bulging disks. Another compensation factor tied to your injuries is lifetime care or disability expenses. While everyone’s wish is for minor injuries and a quick recovery, it is important that you are aware that the severity of your injuries plays a major role in your case and compensation.

The Facts Regarding the Defendant Matter

One significant fact your attorney considers is who is liable for your injury. If another person or company acted in a way that resulted in your spinal injury, you have a higher chance of receiving a large settlement. When looking at the facts of the case, we consider whether the defendant acted intentionally, recklessly, or in any way that causes them to be liable for your sustained injury.

What Does Spinal Cord Injury Compensation Usually Include?

Compensation for a spinal injury usually covers your medical claims at the baseline, but often you will receive compensation for future medical expenses if you are not expected to recover. You may receive compensation for your lost wages, disfigurement, loss of quality of life, and pain and suffering. When you have a lawyer on your side experienced with advocating for those with spinal cord injuries, you can be sure that your future medical needs are considered in any compensation you receive.

Types of Compensation for Spinal Cord Injuries

Your personal injury attorney will guide you through the process of fighting for compensation for your injury. You might face two options during this process, a settlement or trial in civil court. Listen to your attorney’s advice, and they will guide you through the best option for your unique situation. If you opt to go to trial, the jury will consider all of the facts in your case and consider awarding you a settlement. Jury awarded settlements vary widely but still depend on the extent of your injuries and the defendant’s liability.

Reach Out to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney for Help

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the start. Listening to our clients is at the heart of our success in the courtroom. When you work with us, we’ll address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome, and create a personalized approach to help achieve your goals.

While other firms see a case number and a bottom line, we see each client as a human being who deserves to be heard. We know your case is important to you, and we’ll take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us. 

Contact us for your free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal help today.

Did you know that over 17,800 people in the United States are diagnosed with a spinal cord injury every year? The leading cause of spinal cord injuries is automobile accidents followed by falls. Spinal cord injuries can be incredibly frightening and life-altering for you and your loved ones.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury, it’s important to learn as much as you can about the condition and how to manage it best. It’s common to experience a lengthy hospital stay and spend some time at a rehab center after. You’ll likely worry about mounting medical bills and loss of work.

In this blog post, we’ll outline the basics of spinal cord injuries, including causes and what legal options you may have. We hope that this information will help you feel empowered and informed as you navigate your way through this challenging time.

What is a Spinal Cord Injury?

The spinal cord is a tube-like structure that begins at the base of the brain and continues down almost to the bottom of the spine. It contains the body’s nerve fibers that connect throughout the body, from the head to the feet. An injury to the spinal cord means that there is some type of damage to the bundle of nerves, typically resulting from trauma such as an accident or even an assault.

How Does a Spinal Injury Impact the Body?

Any damage to your spinal cord is a significant injury that can result in permanent changes to all bodily functions below the injury. Common symptoms of a spinal cord injury are changes in strength and sensation, including a complete lack of sensation if the nerves have severed. The nerves carry signals from the brain to different parts of your body, which means that an injury causing damage to them disrupts those signals.

A spinal cord injury could mean that you have full or partial paralysis of one or more limbs, which means that you can no longer move or feel them. It’s possible that following a spinal cord injury, you experience intense pain and a stinging sensation below the area affected. You can also have a loss of bowel, bladder, and sexual function that could be permanent.

How Could a Spinal Injury Impact My Life?

A spinal cord injury can affect all aspects of your life. You might initially find yourself in the hospital and later a rehabilitation center until you regain enough function to return home. Some people cannot return home from the rehabilitation center due to their injuries. How much impact the injury has on your life depends on if it is a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury. 

Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you’ll likely have significant continuing medical costs. If you were working at the time of the accident, you’ll experience missed wages and may not be able to return to work. You also may no longer be able to drive or care for yourself. Some individuals require lifetime care in a rehabilitation center or die due to their injuries.

What are the Causes of a Spinal Cord Injury?

Motor vehicle accidents cause almost 40% of all spinal cord injuries in the United States. Other common causes are falls, violence, and sports injuries. If you are in a car accident and receive a spinal cord injury, your insurance will help to cover your medical costs. However, you’ll likely exceed your policy limits quickly unless you have a comprehensive policy. The costs of a lengthy hospital stay and all the therapies after add up quickly. If you’re injured in a fall or by violence, how do you plan to cover your treatment costs? Insurance will likely cover some but not all of your care.

When Should You Consider a California Personal Injury Attorney After an Injury?

You should contact an attorney immediately following a life-changing accident. Hiring a personal injury attorney can help you receive treatment and ensure you’re covered by insurance. Hiring an attorney is especially important if you’re injured due to another’s negligence. Don’t deny yourself the compensation you deserve.

Reach Out to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney for Help

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the start. Listening to our clients is at the heart of our success in the courtroom. When you work with us, we’ll address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome, and create a personalized approach to help achieve your goals.

While other firms see a case number and a bottom line, we see each client as a human being who deserves to be heard. We know your case is important to you, and we’ll take it just as personally. You and your case matter to us. 

Contact us for your free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal help today.

You’ve been in an accident, and you want to pursue the compensation you deserve. But instead of hiring a lawyer to handle your claim, you consider going it alone. After all, why hire a lawyer if you don’t have to, right?

There are many stigmas attached to lawyers. So pervasive are these myths that some people believe them even though they have never hired an attorney before. Unfortunately, these false beliefs result in victims of injuries (due to someone else’s negligence) not getting the compensation they deserve and wondering what went wrong.

Don’t become a statistic. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths surrounding hiring a personal injury lawyer so that you can get the compassionate legal counsel you need to win your case and get the compensation you deserve. 

Myth #1: You Don’t Need A Lawyer to File A Claim

The above sentiment is true: filing a claim with an insurance company can be done without legal counsel. But there’s a big difference between filing a claim and filing an effective claim. That’s where having a personal injury lawyer becomes invaluable.

The job of the insurance adjuster is to save their client’s (and, by proxy their own) money and pay out as little as possible. So when they’re talking to you, they’ll use everything you say (or don’t) to bend your words to their advantage and reduce the amount of money the insurance company will pay. It’s very easy to become confused and overwhelmed by their tactics, and without legal counsel in your corner, you could diminish or destroy your case.

Before filing a claim, you should first contact a personal injury lawyer to represent you. They will guide you through the entire claim process, including coaching you on what to say to the adjuster. If you follow your lawyer’s advice, you’re much less likely to make a costly mistake with your claim.

Myth #2: Attorneys Are Too Expensive

Some people who choose to forgo an attorney do so because they feel like they have to. They believe that they can’t afford to hire an attorney, even if they have a strong case. In addition, they may worry that, even if they win, they’ll be stuck paying the bill long afterward.

While it’s true that legal fees can be expensive, the final bill doesn’t have to come as a surprise. An experienced personal injury lawyer will tell you their costs upfront before you hire them. Moreover, most personal injury lawyers charge on a contingency basis and only bill you if your claim succeeds.

If you think that hiring a personal injury attorney is still too expensive, consider how much work they do for every client. Tracking down records, gathering evidence, talking with adjusters, filing paperwork, and negotiating settlements are all complex procedures they do on behalf of their clients. 

Myth #3:  My Injuries Don’t Warrant A Claim

All too often, people who suffer an accident never file a claim. For whatever reason, they think that their injuries are typical, minor, or otherwise not worth a settlement. They believe there’s some sort of standard that they don’t meet and choose to leave money on the table.

No matter how minor your injuries are, you need to consider the cost of treating them. Additionally, the full extent of your injuries may not reveal themselves at the time of the accident. Finally, even injuries that seem minor can worsen over days and weeks.

Before deciding on filing a personal injury lawsuit, you should seek medical treatment to determine the severity of your injuries. A personal injury attorney can then help you maximize your claim. You can recoup any costs related to your visit and treatment (even future treatment) by filing a claim.

Myth #4:  An Attorney Will Take Most of My Settlement

Even if you can afford an attorney, you might be worried that you’ll have to pay them the majority of your final settlement. After all that time and work, you fear what you get won’t be worth the time and effort. If that’s the case, why bother filing a claim at all?

The above worry is especially prevalent among those who have never hired a lawyer before. In truth, as part of hiring your lawyer, you need to sign an agreement. You can negotiate the terms before signing, including what percentage of the final award you’ll pay them. You’re paying them to do the heavy lifting for you, and often their fees will be a small fraction of the settlement you win.

The point is, at no point should you be surprised by what your lawyer charges so long as you carefully examine the contract. You should feel comfortable negotiating the terms. You’ll find most lawyers can be pretty flexible with their clients.

Trust Hann Law Firm to Handle Your Personal Injury Claim

Choosing to file your claim without an attorney is a massive gamble that’s not likely to pay off. A lawyer can help you get the most out of your claim so you can get your life back on track. But how do you know which lawyers have the experience you need?

Don’t risk making the wrong decision. Choose Hann Law Firm instead.

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the start. Listening to our clients is at the heart of our success in the courtroom. When you work with us, we’ll address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome, and create a personalized approach to help achieve your goals.

While other firms see a case number and a bottom line, we see each client as a human being who deserves to be heard. We know your case is important to you, and we’ll take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us. 

We serve the communities of San Jose and help clients with personal injury claims, civil suits, family law, criminal defense, and business law. 

Contact us for your free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal help today.

The stress of suffering a personal injury can affect all areas of your life. As a result, you need compensation not just for your medical bills but for everything you lost as a result. But how can you be sure that your claim is everything you’re entitled to?

Demonstrating how severely you’ve suffered can be a difficult task, especially if you’re still suffering. It doesn’t help that someone will be arguing against you, and attempting to trivialize your pain. If you aren’t careful, a judge may reduce your claim or dismiss it entirely.

Too many personal injury lawsuits fall short of providing adequate compensation to the plaintiff. Today, we will explain significant ways you can support and maximize your claim. 

1. Document As Much Evidence As Possible

Before filing a personal injury lawsuit, you need to collect evidence to support your claim. It’s not uncommon for personal injury suits to result in smaller awards because the claimant didn’t present a strong enough case. You can reduce the chances of this happening to you by documenting the accident and injury as soon as you can.

Report the accident as soon as you can to start collecting evidence. Take as many different photographs of the accident and resulting damage as you can. No matter how minimal you think an injury may be, get treated by medical professionals ASAP. Retain all medical diagnoses, written statements from your doctors, treatment dates, and anything relevant that alters your normal course of day-to-day life.

Of course, you may not be thinking clearly at the time the accident occurs. It’s also natural for some to minimize the harm they’ve suffered because they don’t want to come across as aggressive or feel frightened acknowledging how extensive their injuries are. But if you are going to maximize your personal injury lawsuit, you need to remember to treat your accident as seriously as you can and document everything.

2. Keep Track of Your Damages

When you make a personal injury claim, you can’t just pull a number out of thin air. Instead, you and your personal injury attorney will need to argue why the amount you’re fighting for is justified. To do this, you should keep records of everything the injury has cost you.

You can claim medical costs, lost wages from work, and non-economic damages as part of your lawsuit. You can prove the first with copies of your bills and the former with past pay stubs. Unfortunately, the last type isn’t quite as easy.

Most non-economic damages fall under the umbrella of emotional damages or pain and suffering. To best support claims of emotional damages, you need to demonstrate that you’ve sought professional help in treating it, such as therapy. These bills don’t reflect a demonstrable physical injury, but they’re still important.

3. Be Prepared to Negotiate

Interacting with the insurance company can be more challenging than going to trial. They work quickly to make offers in the hopes that their clients won’t have to set foot in a courtroom. But, of course, they’ll rarely match what you’re seeking.

Don’t negotiate on your own. An experienced personal injury attorney will work as your advocate whenever you need to interact with the insurance company. They can use their experience to prevent you from being taken advantage of.

When it comes to negotiations, don’t rush to accept the first offer they give you. Your attorney will show them the evidence that justifies your claims. If, after all that, they still refuse, you can file your lawsuit and take it to trial.

4. Draw Attention to Factors That May Have Led to the Accident

Whether you’re talking to insurance adjusters or making claims in court, you need to use all the evidence you have at your disposal. We’ve already outlined how to document the accident and support your claims. However, you can also suggest that the defendant engaged in behavior that made the accident occur.

Did the investigation uncover anything that could have impaired their driving in the case of a car accident? Did any witnesses see them driving recklessly or not following basic road safety? You can use any of these to show negligence and strengthen your case.

Note that you don’t need to prove that these things resulted in the accident, just that they were present. So, for example, you only need to illustrate that the defendant was in a distracted driving environment, even if you can’t definitively prove that they were distracted while driving. Your goal is to show that any reasonable person would believe the defendant created the situation that led to the accident.

Let Hann Law Firm Handle Your Personal Injury Case

Navigating the legal system is a challenge for anyone, especially when it involves personal injury claims. However, if you try to go it alone, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage from the start. Without experienced representation, you risk losing the compensation you deserve.

At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the start. Listening to our clients is at the heart of our success in the courtroom. When you work with us, we’ll address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome, and create a personalized approach to help achieve your goals.

While other firms see a case number and a bottom line, we see each client as a human being who deserves to be heard. We know your case is important to you, and we’ll take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us. 

Contact us for your free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal help today.