When people think of the need for a Clearwater personal injury attorney they often think of being hurt in a car accident or being hurt on the job. However, personal injury attorneys represent people for a range of different types of claims and in different types of injury cases. In the United States a personal injury attorney can present you if you were injured because of defective products, slip and fall accidents, property damages, wrongful death, slander and liable suits, violation of your civil rights or medical mistakes.
If you have been harmed or hurt you do need to speak to a Clearwater personal injury attorney as soon as possible. There is a limitation to how long you have to bring a lawsuit after the injury and this will vary based on the state laws. Your attorney can also, at this time, review your case and let you know what you can expect in settlement, how they will be paid, and what you need to consider going forward.
Payment Options
A Clearwater personal injury attorney is well aware that after an injury making a payment or even providing a retainer may be impossible for some people. Many attorneys choose to arrange with their clients, in advance of accepting the case, to work on what is known as a contingency fee. This means that the attorney is compensated after the settlement is awarded and the individual is not required to pay anything up front.
This contingency fee is set in specific types of cases by the state and generally does not exceed one third of the total settlement awarded. In the event that the case loses the attorney is not compensated for his or her work.
Types of Damages
When you hire a Clearwater personal injury attorney he or she will talk to you about the amount you can expect to be awarded in damages. There are different types of damages including compensatory, or what you are out of pocket because of the injury, as well as punitive. Punitive damages are those that are meant to punish or deter similar actions by the defendant. These are often the larger of the two types of damages but they are only an option in specific types of cases.
Knowing what to expect as an award and talking about the fee structure is important when hiring a Clearwater personal injury attorney. Your attorney will be able to provide this information to you on your first meeting, ensuring that you understand your case going forward.
