Manassas Personal Injury Lawyer

A Manassas personal injury lawyer may fill multiple roles and wear multiple hats during the attorney-client relationship in a personal injury case. If you have been injured due to another party’s negligence, don’t wait to get in contact with a Virginia attorney who can help. They will guide you through the process, helping you decide what course of action would work best to your benefit in your specific case. Additionally, an attorney with experience will understand the nuances of these cases that someone who does not have experience might not know.

Roles of a Personal Injury Lawyer

First, the personal injury attorney is a counselor—listening, taking notes, and being there to support clients during difficult times. Maybe you are injured, or maybe one of your loved ones is seriously injured—such as by suffering a traumatic brain injury—or even killed by the negligence of another. In this difficult time, it is important to know that you have someone you can turn to who is going to give you counsel on the prospects of the case and the proper actions to pursue at the requisite times.

The next hat is that of an organizer. There is a lot of organization to be done in a personal injury case, including gathering, sorting, and deciphering medical records, gathering other important documents related to the client, talking to potential witnesses, and investigating the claim. This process of organization and investigation is an important part of preparing a case.

A Manassas personal injury attorney is also a litigator. He or she takes the case to trial, discussing steps and outcomes with insurance companies and their representatives in order to achieve a favorable outcome for his or her client.

Through all of this, an attorney is an advocate working to achieve results for his or her clients and helping them understand the process. A lawyer who has been through this many times can help you understand in simple, easy-to-understand language.

A Personal Injury Lawyer as Investigator

One of a personal injury attorney’s multiple roles in the personal injury claim process is as an investigator. In this role, a lawyer works to determine two different things.

First, he or she investigates liability—that is, who is at fault and to what degree they are at fault. In Virginia, a major defense to any injury claim is that of contributory negligence. Contributory negligence means that you are partially at fault for your own injury, which means that you are barred from recovery. Therefore, it is a common defense strategy to seek a contributory negligence defense when someone is injured and liability is questionable. A personal injury lawyer in Manassas will investigate the case, talk to witnesses, seek initial information that may be important—such as photographs, videos, or audio statements—and possibly speak to experts to investigate the claim more fully.

After the liability phase in a personal injury case, an attorney turns to investigating damages. In this phase, the attorney may want to investigate the nature of your injuries, whether they were the exaggeration of pre-existing conditions or completely new injuries caused by the accident. In doing so, the attorney will investigate your medical history, past treatments, and even past claims. He or she will also investigate the source and nature of other damages, including lost wages and other financial losses.

Importance of Contacting an Attorney

It is important to contact a seasoned Manassas injury attorney as soon as possible because the insurance company may contact you right away. They may ask you for statements that can be used against you at a later time. You may not know the reasons for those questions or why certain questions are phrased in a particular way. The risk is that later in the personal injury process, those statements may be used against you.

Whether you have experienced pain and suffering due to medical malpractice,  nursing home abuse, a truck accident, or any other reason, an experienced lawyer can help you understand what to expect from the process, what to expect from the insurance companies, and what to expect in terms of damages.

Understanding the Types of Damages

In personal injury cases, victims can seek various types of damages to compensate for their losses. The primary categories are:

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover the tangible financial losses resulting from an injury. These include:

• Medical expenses: Costs for medical treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and future medical care
• Lost income: Compensation for wages lost due to the injury and any future loss of earning capacity
• Property damage: Costs to repair or replace damaged property, such as a vehicle
• Other financial losses: Additional expenses like travel for medical appointments, home modifications, and rehabilitation costs

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages address the intangible losses that do not have a direct monetary value but significantly impact the victim’s quality of life. These include:

• Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury
• Loss of enjoyment of life: Damages for the inability to enjoy daily activities or hobbies due to the injury

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or reckless. These damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future. They are less common and typically awarded in addition to economic and non-economic damages.

When to Contact a Manassas Personal Injury Attorney

If you are involved in a car accident that is not your fault, you should contact a Manassas personal injury lawyer right away. The process of hiring a lawyer you think works best for you can be long. Learn more about the process by calling today.

An insurance company will often try to contact you immediately and take statements or seek additional information very soon after an accident has occurred. This may be during a time when you are still in shock or still recovering from your injuries. It is important to know that you do not have to speak to the other party’s insurance company. If you are contacted by the at-fault party’s insurance, you should absolutely have experienced and knowledgeable representation on your side. That way, you’re less likely to find yourself answering questions that may hurt your case.