What’s the Difference Between a Verdict and a Settlement?
When a person is injured because of the negligence of another, they may seek compensation for their losses (damages) through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. This compensation can come in the form of a verdict, or more commonly, an out-of-court settlement. The difference between a verdict and a settlement is that a verdict is decided in court and a settlement is an agreement between the plaintiff and defendant outside of court. Personal injury lawyers work hard to negotiate a favorable settlement for their clients because it is usually in everyone’s best interest to avoid a trial. When a fair settlement cannot be reached, personal injury attorneys represent their clients in court to fight for a verdict by trial.
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How to Protect Yourself from Violent Crime Committed by Strangers
While we shouldn’t sit around worrying about being the potential victim of violent crime committed by strangers, it’s also a good idea to take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Here are some examples of violence committed by strangers:
- Aggravated assault
- Mugging
- Sexual violence / rape
- Armed robbery
- School shootings, workplace shootings, and other mass shootings
- Homicide
Personal Injury Terms for Understanding Your Personal Injury Claim
If you have been injured in an accident or by other circumstance because of the fault of another, you may be able to recover damages through a personal injury settlement. We understand that some of the terms used in personal injury law are not part of regular conversation. Read on to learn some basic personal injury terms that may help you better understand your personal injury claim.
Personal Injury Terms for Understanding Your Personal Injury Claim
Here are some useful terms for understanding your personal injury claim:
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6 Types of Catastrophic Injuries
When someone is seriously injured in a way that affects their ability to function the way they did before the accident, they may have experienced a catastrophic injury. In addition to the potential for a lifetime of pain and suffering, a catastrophic injury can prevent the victim from earning a living or becoming a parent because of permanent disability or impairment. In most cases, catastrophic injuries require extensive medical treatments, rehabilitation, and surgeries.
If your life has been turned upside down due to a catastrophic injury because of the negligence of another, seek the help of a personal injury lawyer. The injury attorney will discuss your legal rights and evaluate the circumstances of your case to determine next steps.
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Top 5 Reasons Insurance Companies Lowball Insurance Settlement Offers
If there is one thing you need to know about insurance companies it’s that they aren’t in business to pay out fair settlements. Their priority is their bottom line, not their clients and certainly not the person injured by one of their clients. If you were injured because of the negligence of another such as in a car accident, you likely received a call from the at-fault insurer shortly after the accident claim, to ask questions that will benefit them and/or to make a lowball settlement offer. It is important to seek legal guidance from a personal injury lawyer before speaking to an insurance adjuster and definitely before accepting an insurance settlement offer.
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Avoid Slip & Fall Accidents in Wet Weather
We are transitioning from winter to spring and in the Pacific Northwest that means many days with wet roads and sidewalks. Wet surfaces are often slippery, which can dramatically increase the risk for a slip and fall accident. Simple preventative measures by walkers and property owners can help reduce the chances of a serious slip and fall injury.
Every year, thousands of Americans are the victim of a slip and fall accident, often through no fault of their own. When a fall and subsequent injury happens because of the negligence of another, the best thing to do is contact a slip and fall attorney to discuss your legal rights. For example, if you walked into a store with sopping wet floors that had no sign warning about the slippery surface, you may have a slip and fall claim. Your attorney will go over the details of your accident and let you know the best way to proceed.
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June is National Safety Month
The National Safety Council (NSC) has labeled June National Safety Month in the United States. The purpose of the label is to help bring awareness to the public about the health and safety risks that increase in the summer months in order to decrease the number of injuries and deaths that happen at home and in the community. Visit the National Safety Council website for tips and resources.
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, you have the right to a settlement that will compensate you for your injuries. Contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your legal rights and get the help you need to get back on your feet.
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Personal Injury Claims for Failure to Yield Accidents
When it comes to sharing the road with other drivers and pedestrians, you must learn when you have the right-of-way and when you should yield. For example, a driver at a four-way stop must wait until it is their turn to go or they risk crashing into another vehicle who actually had the right-of-way. Failure to yield accidents lead to some very serious injuries every year. If you were the victim of a failure to yield accident, you may find this article helpful.
What is failure to yield the right-of-way?
When a driver is guilty of failure to yield the right-of-way, it means that they didn’t allow other traffic, such as cars or pedestrians, to go when they had the right-of-way.
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Common Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers Debunked
Lawyers get a bad rap and personal injury lawyers are no exception. We’ve all heard the jokes. In truth, commonly held false assumptions, misconceptions and wild myths keep some injured people from getting the help they need to reach a fair settlement on their injury claim. Sadly, this plays right into the hands of the insurance industry that would love nothing more than to have all their low-ball settlement offers accepted by people lacking representation.
We hope to debunk some of the most common myths about personal injury lawyers in this article so you can feel more confident seeking much needed legal advice for your injuries.
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Top 5 Myths About Personal Injury Claims
Most people are not familiar with personal injury claims because, thankfully, they haven’t endured a serious accident caused by the negligence or malicious intent of another. Others have been in an accident and try to work with the at-fault insurance adjuster to settle their injury claim themselves. In some cases, injured people avoid contacting a personal injury attorney for help with their personal injury claim because of common myths and misunderstandings.
If you were injured in a serious accident, we want to reassure you that the best way to get a fair settlement is with the help of a personal injury lawyer.