At times, the most serious injuries are the ones that cannot be seen. When people are seriously injured, sometimes the injury can be mental in nature or the physical effects of the injuries can lead to severe psychological conditions.
Psychiatric injuries can be caused by various things like trauma, harassment, bullying, intimidation, and stress and they can have devastating effects on a person’s mental health.
In instances such as these, a victim has every right to pursue a lawsuit against the parties responsible in causing the mental anguish. In order to file a psychiatric injury lawsuit successfully, you need to consult with an attorney. The following are 5 ways a lawyer can assist if you have suffered a psychiatric injury.
1. Assessing your claim
An experienced attorney who has handled many cases similar to yours can inform you regarding whether you have a credible case to pursue before you go to court. Claims assessment is an essential step that will enable your lawyer to review your case and the evidence. The lawyer can then determine the strength of your case and whether you should pursue a claim.
In a situation where there is little to no chance of winning your case, a personal injury lawyer will inform you of this so you are not wasting time and money. By consulting an attorney, you will know whether to proceed with the claim or not and what you can expect if you proceed with the claim.
2. Determining the correct settlement value
The primary goal of filing a psychiatric injury claim is obtaining financial compensation and damages to assist you as you take time off of work to address the ailment. This may include the costs of medical bills, therapy, and rehabilitation as well as follow-up treatments. The attorney can take into account all of the anticipated costs that you will most likely have to pay to address your issues and base a settlement value on this. This way, you will be able to submit a claim that is based on your needs.
3. Negotiating with insurance firms
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is a good idea, particularly if you need to deal with insurance firms to receive benefits while you are dealing with your injury. Insurance companies often do their best to minimize payments they have to make to clients. When you have a lawyer representing you, you can have peace of mind knowing that he or she is a skilled negotiator.
Your lawyer can advocate on your behalf when dealing with insurance companies and in the event benefits are denied or terminated can determine why such occurrences took place and can advise you on steps to take to remedy the situation.
4. Working with an investigator
As a victim, it would be difficult if not impossible for you to investigate the accident that led to your injuries. Not only will you not be well enough to do so, the court may see any evidence that you collect as bias or tainted. A professional attorney can work with experienced investigators who have knowledge of collecting evidence and what types of evidence are most beneficial in cases such as yours.
The lawyer and investigator can work in tandem to gather evidence that you have as well as from any witnesses that are privy to information that could help your case.
5. Assisting with procedure
When claiming for compensation for a psychiatric injury, you may not understand ever legal procedure, confusing medical terms, and handle the paperwork involved in filing a lawsuit. In a fragile mental state one can easily get confused and frustrated with legal processes. A lawyer can assist you in understanding everything you need to at every step of the lawsuit and can file all necessary documents to ensure an expedited process and avoid any errors that could delay proceedings.
In the event that you need to testify, the lawyer can provide the support that you require to provide testimony that is effective and maximizes the chances of a successful outcome.
