Legal Options for Accident Victims
In Massachusetts or anywhere else, personal injuries devastate lives. Depending on their severity, they can leave you with:
- Medical injuries
- Emotional damage
- Loss of personal property
- Inability to work
Fortunately, individuals injured in accidents caused by the negligence of other parties have legal options. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you determine which course of action best suits your case and to obtain the maximum compensation possible.
Some questions to answer
The first questions you and your attorney will answer involve:
- Liability. Who is at fault for your accident? If multiple parties are responsible, against whom should you file legal action?
- Extent of your injuries. Generally speaking, some physical harm must have been done to you in order for you to seek legal compensation for an accident. The greater the extent of this harm, the greater your possible compensation.
- Available money or insurance. Is it worth the time and effort to bring a legal action against the parties responsible for your injuries? Usually, there is some kind of insurance coverage. If the negligent party has no way to pay you for you injuries, and no insurance, you may not receive any compensation.
Trial or settlement?
Your two primary options, following the assessment of your case, are to bring a case to trial or to seek a settlement.
- A trial brings the case before a judge or jury who determines the validity of your claim and possibly awards you fair compensation. This is sometime necessary to achieve fair compensation, depending on the likelihood of success at trial and the type of damages.
- Settlement avoids the risks of a trial, by allowing you and the negligent party to agree on compensation outside the court process. In exchange for this settlement, the injured party agrees not to bring any future litigation against the negligent party for injuries stemming form this accident, even if the injuries grow more severe over time.
There are pros and cons to both trial and settlement. An experienced MA personal injury attorney can help you decide which option makes the most sense for your particular case.
Personal injury lawsuits
MA injury attorneys dedicated to zealous advocacy on behalf of clients in personal injury cases. If you require Massachusetts legal assistance, contact Fraser & Galanopoulos today, 2276 Washington St., Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462.