Examples Of Personal Injury Myths And Misconceptions

If you are an accident victim, you should consult a lawyer for professional advice and not rely on amateur advice. Many people hold erroneous beliefs and myths that can easily derail your case. Below are examples of these myths and misconceptions.

Injury Cases Involve Years in Court

A common piece of advice for injury victims is not to rush to settle their cases. As a result, many people believe that injury cases take years to conclude. An injury case can take years to resolve, but most do not take that long. According to Nolo, the majority of injury cases resolve within a year.

Multiple factors determine how fast your case resolves. Some of the factors include:

• The number of cases the court has to juggle
• Your evidence
• Your demands
• How busy the respective lawyers are
• Your negotiation skills

Thus, you should not hesitate to file an injury case based on lengthy wait times before resolution.

Your Injury Case Can Bankrupt the Defendant

Some people hesitate to file injury cases because they don't want to bankrupt the defendant. Such fears are especially rife with cases that involve individual defendants. Such people believe individual defendants do not have as deep pockets as corporate defendants do.

The reality is that few defendants ever settle injury settlements out of pocket. Instead, insurance companies (for example, home or car insurance companies) pay injury settlements. If the defendant is uninsured, your case only makes sense if the defendant has substantial assets. Your lawyer will advise you accordingly before taking your case.

Partial Fault Prevents Recovery

You might also be reluctant to file your case if you believe you contributed to your injuries or damages. Such fear might or might not be warranted depending on multiple factors. Thus, you should not make a rash decision before consulting a lawyer.

For example, many states have laws that allow you to recover partial damages if you were partially at fault for your accident. Only a few states will deny you compensation if you are partially liable for your damages. Moreover, your thoughts on your role in the accident might be flawed. Consult a lawyer before you decide whether to drop your case.

As you can see, various myths surround personal injury claims. Many of these myths can interfere with your compensation pursuit. Thus, you should stay wary of unsolicited advice, even from well-meaning acquaintances and friends. Consult a personal injury lawyer for more info. 

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