Personal injury lawyers in Detroit, MI, are skilled at handling a range of personal injury cases, whether through an insurance claim, direct settlement negotiation, or lawsuit, and can give victims the best chance of getting money that accurately reflects the damages they have endured. Many people mistakenly wait until after the claims investigation is concluded to hire an attorney once they realize that the initial offer is far less than what they believe they deserve, but the reality is that you will greatly benefit from hiring a personal injury attorney before even initiating your claim.
Contact Us Now For a Free Consultation With a Detroit, MI Personal Injury Attorney
If you are uncertain of how to move forward or know that you are ready to fight for fair compensation for your injuries, contact our firm now for a free consultation. During our free consultation, we will be able to go over a range of details about your situation, including the type of accident, who caused it, how they caused it, and the ways that your injuries have impacted your life so far. Once we have a clear understanding of the initial facts, we will be able to provide you with a sense of how our legal representation will help you get the compensation you deserve.
Many law firms can help you get compensation for your injuries in Michigan, but we are confident that you will be ready to work with us after our free consultation. Read more below about our practice areas and get a better sense of what a personal injury actually is. Contact us now to schedule your free consultation so we can get started on your case as soon as possible.
What Is a Personal Injury?
The term “personal injury” refers to an accident that causes an injury to a victim as a result of someone else’s negligence or, more technically, a failed “duty of care.” When someone chooses to ignore their duty of care, regardless of the situation, they are failing to uphold their end of the social (or professional) contract, and the responsible party then owes the victim for all resulting damages. Typically, these processes are handled through insurance claims. We can discuss the specifics of your situation during our free consultation and case evaluation.
The Defendant Failed Their Duty of Care
Your duty of care is the expectation that you will act in a responsible manner in order to keep those around you from suffering unnecessary injuries or wrongful death. For example: when you drive, your duty of care is to obey the rules of the road that your Michigan drivers’ license proves you understand. If you speed, drive drunk, or otherwise cause an accident due to a violation of these rules, you have failed your duty of care. However, a failed duty of care is not the only factor required to initiate a personal injury case.
The Failed Duty of Care Caused Measurable Damages
If a driver fails their duty of care by speeding but does not cause a motor vehicle accident, they are not liable for any personal injury claims because there was no damage caused. If, however, their behavior causes an accident that led to measurable damages (ranging from medical bills to pain and suffering, and many others), they may need to provide compensation for the victim. There are many different situations where these tort claims can arise, so it is important to think about any situation in terms of the other party’s duty of care, such as a doctor’s obligation to provide safe treatment to avoid medical malpractice.
If you are unsure of whether or not your unique situation is covered under personal injury law, contact us now so we can discuss everything during your free consultation.
How Personal Injury Claims Work
Once it has been established that there is a party at fault for the damages, the next step will be to calculate the damages and seek adequate compensation for each. Insurance companies often protect their clients from personal liability, such as auto insurance for vehicle accidents or home and business insurance for premises liability accidents like a slip and fall. Regardless of whether or not there is liability insurance to protect the defendant, an experienced Detroit personal injury attorney will set out to calculate the monetary value of their client’s damages and then work to reach either an out-of-court settlement or file a lawsuit in the Michigan courts. During your free consultation, our Detroit injury lawyers will be able to give you a specific understanding of your own unique case as it pertains to the law.
Establishing Fault
The first issue that must be settled is that of fault: who caused the accident or injuries, and who is liable for paying compensation to the victim? As you can imagine, the method of establishing fault varies depending on the situation, as product liability cases have much different evidence than car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, or dog bites. The central issue is whether or not the defendant owed the victim a duty of care, and if so, whether or not they failed to uphold this duty of care. Detroit, Michigan, personal injury cases are handled with a law known as comparative fault, which allows a victim to seek reduced compensation even if they are partially responsible for the accident.
Comparative fault is a useful tool in that it protects Michigan victims from losing their right to fair compensation, but insurance companies often use this law to their advantage by attempting to pin incremental blame on the victim in order to reduce their financial obligation. Detroit personal injury attorneys understand this tactic and can build a strong defense against it on your behalf. Before speaking with an insurance adjuster, contact us for a free consultation and have an experienced Detroit, Michigan personal injury lawyer represent you from day one.
Calculating Damages
Once fault has been determined, the next step is to calculate damages. Damages are any type of loss you have incurred as a result of the accident or your injuries, including property damage, emotional suffering, physical pain, medical expenses, and more. Damages are divided into two distinct parts: economic damages and non-economic damages. Personal injury lawyers have years of experience identifying, cataloging, and calculating the dollar amounts of these damages for their clients and can help you get the money you deserve while also saving you much of the stress that comes with this process.
Economic Damages
Economic damages apply to anything with a price or dollar value associated with it. This includes things like lost wages, medical costs, and any services you have paid for that you would have otherwise done yourself if it weren’t for your injuries. Your lawyer will go through the many details of your life in order to generate a comprehensive collection of these damages in order to ensure that each is included in the upcoming negotiations or lawsuit.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages apply to damages that do not have prices or values associated with them, things like the pain and suffering of your injuries or the emotional trauma that comes with motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and other situations covered under personal injury law. These damages are much more complicated to calculate since there is no set value for them, but your Michigan personal injury lawyer will be able to take over the process while you focus on your recovery. If you are uncertain of what constitutes a valid non-economic damage, we can discuss this and more during our free consultation. You may be surprised to learn what damages are incurred even after minor car accidents.
The Importance Of Working With Detroit, MI Personal Injury Attorneys
Lower your Stress
Trying to handle your own insurance claim after injuries stemming from medical malpractice, auto accidents, or any other personal injury in Detroit can be extremely overwhelming, especially as you are trying to focus on your recovery at the same time. In fact, stress is shown to have a significant impact on injury recovery, something that your injury lawyers can help with as they handle all of the administrative and legal legwork of your case.
Get Reliable Legal Advice
One of the benefits of working with law firms is that you always have a lawyer who can answer your questions about your Detroit, Michigan injury. Personal injury law is complicated, and speculating about your future without guidance from a lawyer can quickly lead to unnecessary despair. Starting with our free consultation and throughout the work, we do together, you will always be able to get answers about the law, your case, and what you can expect moving forward from a Detroit lawyer with a proven track record.
Fight For What You Deserve
No matter how clear the law is in your favor, whether your injuries stem from medical malpractice, product liability, or any other type of case, one of the most obvious benefits of Detroit injury lawyers is the fact that they will fight aggressively to get you the money you deserve. Insurance companies work to minimize their settlement payments, but your lawyer will be able to push back on these tactics and negotiate for a settlement amount that accurately compensates you for your damages. To speak with a lawyer about what you rightfully deserve, schedule your free consultation now.
Contact Us For a Free Consultation With a Detroit Lawyer Today
Whether you are hurt due to medical malpractice, a construction accident, or any other situation that someone else caused, contact us now to speak with a lawyer during a free consultation. You deserve support, and our team is here to help.