You never want to be in a situation where you get injured and to no fault of your own. However, if such an unfortunate incident happens, it is better to be safe than sorry. So, preparation is everything.
Compensation for personal injury is more than a right individuals have if their situation is eligible for it; it is a necessity, given the accident – regardless of its severity – can cause loss of income, brings additional expenses such as hospital visits and medical treatments, and causes emotional distress and mental trauma as well.
For this reason, it is within your rights to claim compensation, but it is also the financial support highly needed in order to cover all the expenses and relieve some of the stress that comes with going through such an unfortunate incident.
Whether you are in a public place or at the workplace, personal injuries can happen when there is an unannounced hazard, or the institution and organisation do not adhere to the required health and safety regulations as they should. On the other hand, it is crucial to acknowledge that, unfortunately, accidents can still take place even though all the necessary measures are in place to explicitly prevent such a situation and a person’s getting seriously injured. This is a reality we must recognise and do all that is in our power to diminish the risk of accidents as much as possible and prevent accidents. But if this still occurs, the victim is eligible to claim compensation.
As long as you have evidence – the more, the better – and professional help from a personal injury lawyer, it is highly likely you will get fair compensation.
This being said, if you ever find yourself in such an unfortunate situation, it is of the utmost importance to learn how to claim compensation for personal injury. As mentioned earlier, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Thus, follow this ultimate step-by-step guide:
- Seek Medical Attention and Treat the Injuries
The most important thing you should do right after the accident takes place is to seek medical attention. Even if the injury appears to be minor and seemingly not severe, it is still crucial to let a professional and qualified healthcare practitioner check your condition and guide you in the right direction, such as recommending a specific doctor. For instance, you may think you have a sprained ankle when, in fact, it could be something more serious, like a broken bone that needs a cast.
Moreover, getting your injury checked and treated is crucial – apart from the obvious reason of taking good care of yourself and getting your health checked – for the compensation claim. The diagnosis and course of treatment given by a healthcare specialist serve as evidence for the injury, and it supports your claim for personal injury compensation.
- Gather All the Evidence You Can
As mentioned earlier, in compensation claims, it is of the utmost importance to provide as much evidence as possible. Any legal case of any kind requires bulletproof evidence, as it is crucial to be able to prove a particular incident or accident took place. Otherwise, it is hearsay, which cannot help personal injury victims get the compensation they deserve.
For this reason, you should try to gather all the evidence you possibly can. And, if you are unable to do so, you can ask someone to do it on your behalf, such as a co-worker or friend. The evidence you should aim to collect is as follows:
- Photographs, and if possible, video recordings of the scene of the accident or the object which has caused the accident.
- Witness statements that can corroborate the course of events. The witnesses’ contact details should also be gathered.
- All the medical bills and receipts, diagnosis and treatment given by qualified medical providers.
- The report recorded in the accident book if the accident occurs in the workplace.
- Discuss With a Professional Lawyer
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is the expert recommendation. Not only can they assist you and handle the case professionally thanks to their vast legal knowledge and experience, but they can also give you some peace of mind knowing that your case is in good hands.
What’s more, you don’t have to worry about the financial aspect if you want to discuss your personal injury case with a lawyer. Solicitors handling personal injury legal cases work on a no win no fee basis, meaning you pay them a percentage of the winnings. If the case is not won, you don’t have to pay any legal fees. Therefore, you should certainly consider contacting a personal injury solicitor. Regardless of how minor your injury appears to be, it is within your rights to claim compensation and get professional support that can assist you every step of the way and make the entire process easier.
- Focus On Getting Better and Recovering
Another essential aspect you should prioritise during the lengthy process of claiming compensation is your recovery. In this guide on how to file a personal injury compensation claim, it is vital to mention it, given that many victims put their health in second place and get too stressed and focused on getting compensation. This is perfectly understandable given how expensive medical treatments can be.
When you are involved in an accident to no fault of your own, your finances have to suffer, as you don’t expect and haven’t planned for extraordinary medical expenses. This is why you should hire a personal injury lawyer. They will be able to get the compensation you deserve while you can focus on getting better and recovering from the injury.
- Learn The Time Limits for Claiming Compensation
Last but not least, it is vital to learn the time limits within which you can claim compensation. Usually, you have three years to begin the legal actions in personal injury cases. The three-year period begins the moment the accident occurred or the moment the first symptoms of the accident appeared, as is in the case of occupational or work-related injuries.
An example of a situation when you become aware of the injury later is in a work environment where employees are exposed to certain chemicals, repetitive stress or overexertion injuries. Because symptoms can appear at a later date, the three-year limit starts when you become aware of the harm caused by negligence.