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Personal Injury

Acting Quickly Regarding Personal Injury Claims

I have recently noticed a trend with new case calls that seems to be happening more and more often. Calls will come in from individuals seeking assistance from a lawyer with a personal injury claim, be it from an auto accident injury, slip and fall case, or work injury, where the potential client has attempted to resolve the matter on their own and is nearing the Statute of Limitations deadline with no resolution of their claim. I have had clients call as close to the Statute deadline as the day before it is about to run.

In these cases, often, the clients relay that they have attempted to get a lawyer in the recent past but have been told that because the statute deadline is so close the lawyer is unable to help them with their case. While injury cases are considerably more difficult when our back is against the wall for a statute deadline, it does not preclude us from assisting you with your personal injury case. Because the client has attempted to resolve the matter on their own, many attorney's shy away from these claims as sworn statements have been given without the protection of a lawyer present, diagrams and photos have been exchanged between the client and the insurance company, and some medical records have already been furnished in an effort to get an offer.

Anyone injured due to someone else's negligence should consult a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you have procured protection for your own rights in the claim the better your standing will be when it comes to settlement, as throughout the course of the claim your interests have been monitored to portray your claim in the best light.

Trying to resolve a claim or procure a settlement on your own does not preclude you from being able to hire an attorney later in the process, however waiting until the last minute before hiring a lawyer may prove costly to your case. To ensure that no damage is done to your case before a lawsuit must be filed, you should at least consult with an attorney immediately following the injury so as not to harm the potential for recovery at a later date.

From Illinois Injury Law Blog posted 2007-08-16.