Lansing

After an injury occurs, victims usually have many questions about various issues: How long will my recovery take? Will I even make a full recovery? Should I hire a lawyer? Does my injury qualify for a compensation claim?

That is why it may be beneficial to contact an experienced lawyer. The Lansing personal injury lawyers at Jay Trucks and Associates have helped to recover more than $500,000,000 for our clients in a wide variety of cases handled by our firm including a $2,000,000 recovery for a client whose accident caused a traumatic brain injury, a $698,000 recovery for a 55 year old tree cutter that suffered a closed head injury and a $300,000 recovery for a senior citizen that was injured after being struck by an automobile. Reach out to a Lansing personal injury lawyer.

From day one, my attorney and the office staff at Jay Trucks & Associates went above and beyond what I expected...

– D. Lathrop

Our attorneys understand what accident victims go through and the concerns they often have. We are available to answer your questions and discuss possible options for recovering compensation in a free consultation. There is no obligation with this consultation – you decide if you want to move forward if we validate your claim. There are also no upfront fees when you hire us – unless you receive compensation, we are not paid for providing representation.

Am I Eligible to File an Injury Claim?

If our attorneys determine your injury resulted from another’s negligence, we may be able to file a claim for compensation on your behalf. Negligence is a complex legal theory with four parts, each of which must be established with evidence to have a valid claim for compensation.

The four parts of negligence are as follows:

• Existence of duty of care – The at-fault party must have owed you a duty of care. This refers to a duty to act as a reasonable person would to help prevent an injury. The definition of reasonable action depends on the situation, which is why it is important to have an experienced attorney representing you.
• Breach of duty of care – The at-fault party failed to take reasonable steps to help prevent harm coming to you. In some cases, the at-fault party was intentionally negligent and in others the at-fault party failed to act, and this resulted in your injury.
• Causal link to an injury – This means your injury must have been the direct result of the at-fault party’s negligent actions.
• Damages were suffered – Your injuries must have caused measurable damages, such as medical expenses and loss of wages.

There are many things our Lansing personal injury lawyers may need to consider as we decide if the four elements of negligence may have been present in your accident, such as:

• What you remember about the accident
• Eyewitness statements
• When and where the accident happened
• Severity of your injuries
• Who may be at fault for your injury
• How long your recovery may take

How Much is a Lansing Personal Injury Claim Worth?

This is one of the most common questions accident victims have when they discuss their claim with us in person or on the phone. There is no simple answer because every situation is so different, from the injuries and damages suffered to the reasons why the accident happened in the first place.

Our attorneys are available to discuss this issue with you in detail so you have a better idea about damages from personal injuries and how those damages may be evaluated.

If our Lansing personal injury attorneys validate your claim in a free consultation and you hire us to represent you, some of the damages we may be able to pursue could include:

• Past medical expenses for treating your injury
• Future treatment costs (rehabilitation, prescription medications, medical testing, durable medical equipment, appointments with doctors, surgeries, etc.)
• Loss of wages if you miss work during your recovery, including times you miss work because you needed to leave to attend an appointment with a doctor
• Loss of earning capacity when the injury affects your ability to continue working in the same capacity as you did before
• Personal property damage, which often refers to damage to a vehicle in a car accident
• Home modifications or vehicle modifications to accommodate a permanent disability/mobility impairment that prevents you from performing tasks the way you used to

These are all considered economic damages because they have a defined value. For example, there are receipts for medical bills and you can calculate how many hours you missed work and your pay rate to determine what these damages may be worth. Experts may need to be consulted to determine the value of future medical expenses and loss of earning capacity.

Our attorneys may also be able to pursue non-economic compensation for your claim. This may include emotional/psychological suffering, physical pain, lost enjoyment of life and loss of companionship. The value of these damages can vary wildly from case to case. We may need testimony from you and your family members, along with medical and economic experts to determine the value of these damages.

In a medical malpractice or product liability case, there is a cap on non-economic compensation but no cap on economic damages. Other types of personal injury cases do not have a cap on compensation that can be awarded.

Michigan is unique in that it does not allow punitive damages in personal injury claims. These damages serve as punishment for the at-fault party and are not connected to specific damages suffered by the victim.

However, Michigan allows exemplary damages, which are awarded for damages like mental anguish, humiliation and outrage that resulted from another party’s willful, malicious or wanton conduct that exhibited reckless disregard for a victim’s rights.

When is My Claim Due?

Generally, three years from the date of your injury. This is the standard statute of limitations under state law. Wrongful death cases also have a three-year statute of limitations.

While medical malpractice cases also have a three-year statute of limitations, there are various exceptions that may apply, depending on the specifics of your case.

If your injury resulted from the negligence of a government entity, there are different deadlines, depending on the specifics of your case. This often includes notice requirements.

Concerned about how much time may be left to file a claim? Call Jay Trucks and Associates today to discuss your situation. No upfront fees or obligations.

Advantages of Hiring a Lansing Personal Injury Attorney to Represent You

One of the things you can discuss with one of our licensed attorneys in a free consultation is the benefits of having experienced legal representation.

Our attorneys want you to be focused on your medical treatment and recovery. We are prepared to handle every step of the legal process on your behalf. We are focused on recovering maximum compensation for your damages and holding the at-fault party accountable for what you have suffered.

Injury victims that have legal representation usually recover more financial compensation compared to those that do not have a lawyer.

That means, if we validate your claim, we are ready to investigate what happened, evaluate your damages, consult experts when necessary, obtain medical records and other documentation, talk to eyewitnesses, negotiate with insurers and prepare your claim for trial if we cannot reach a fair pre-trial settlement with the other side. The steps we need to take for each claim vary, because each claim is unique. We tailor our strategy to each case to try to achieve the best result for our clients.

We have more than 500-plus five-star reviews from satisfied clients. Find out what our clients have said about the representation we provided.

What Should I Say if the Insurance Company Calls?

Injury victims may not realize they have the option of saying nothing and referring insurance companies to their attorney. However, you are well within your rights to do so.

Insurance companies know how to trick accident victims into making damaging statements. For instance, they may ask you the same question in different ways to get you to minimize the severity of your injuries or say something that sounds like an admission of your own fault in the accident.

If an insurance company has not contacted you yet, they may do so soon, so it is important to be ready. If you decide to say anything, avoid too many specifics about the accident beyond the date, time and place. If they ask about your injuries, you can tell them you have sought treatment, but avoid trying to determine how serious they may be. Doctors may not know until later in the treatment process.

You are not required to provide a recorded statement after an accident, despite what the insurance adjuster may say about how it may help speed up the process. Our attorneys will likely not begin negotiating a settlement until your treatment concludes. The insurance company only wants to speed up the process because your claim may be worth much more later in the treatment process when our attorneys are able to assess any future treatment needs.

Despite what they may tell you, particularly in TV advertising, insurance companies are trying to pay out the least possible amount of compensation for your damages.

What to Do After Suffering an Injury

Seeking medical treatment is vital right after an accident. Often, waiting for treatment can cause an injury to become much worse than it otherwise would have. Sometimes, stabilizing an injury, such as a back injury, can prevent the damage and/or pain from spreading.

If you are able, get yourself to the hospital. You can also have someone else drive you there. In other situations, you may be unable to move, or it may be unsafe to move and an ambulance will come to the scene to transport you to the hospital.

Another thing that accident victims may not consider about waiting to seek treatment is how it may look to the insurance company. A gap in time between the injury and when it was treated may cause the insurance company to say you were injured because of something besides the accident.

Following the doctor’s orders is also important. You need to show you are doing what you can to try to recover to demonstrate to the insurance company that you are really hurt. If you stop treatment or skip appointments, the insurance company may claim you are not actually injured.

Other important steps to take after an accident include:

• Gathering evidence at the scene if it is safe to do so – pictures, statements from witnesses, notes on what you remember about the crash, etc.
• Saving medical bills and receipts
• Documenting your pain and suffering
• Contacting a licensed Lansing personal injury lawyer for a free consultation

Injuries That May Result From Negligence

Our Lansing personal injury lawyers are available to assist people who suffered a variety of injuries because of the negligence of another. These could include:

• Spinal cord injuries (quadriplegia, paraplegia, herniated discs, etc.)
• Damage to internal organs
• Internal bleeding
• Fractures
• Lost limbs
• Whiplash
• Loss of vision
• Concussions
• Burns
• Damage to nerves
• Lacerations

Our goal is to recover maximum compensation on our clients’ behalf. We know compensation does not erase what happened, but it can be very important as families look to move forward.

Call Today to Schedule a Free Consultation With a Lansing Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injuries can be devastating to victims and their families on an emotional, physical and financial level. At Jay Trucks and Associates, we have seen how difficult it can be to recover and manage the various damages that are caused. We have won over 1,000 cases for our clients and recovered more than $500 million in compensation.

There is no upfront cost or obligation to discuss your accident with one of our licensed Lansing personal injury lawyers. We do not get paid unless you get paid first through a settlement or courtroom verdict.

We are here to help by answering your questions and discussing the legal options that may be available to you. Our office is in Clare, but you do not need to come in to discuss your potential claim.

Our phone lines are open 24/7 at 989-254-6113. You can also complete a Free Case Evaluation form and someone from our firm will contact you shortly.