Car Accident Lawyer

The Long Process of Car Accidents

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:49:09 +0000

If you see the numbers on how many car accidents occur every year, you might want to sell your car and get a bike. Is our inability to follow the rules what causes that huge number of car accidents every year and the number seem to increase year by year. I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news but chances are that you or a close relative will be involved in a car accident.

Insurance is mandatory in almost the whole country, that is good, but dealing with an insurance company is not as funny Jerry Seinfeld and will for sure be a very long process and the best you can do is to have a legal professional giving you a hand in the process. Filing an accident insurance claim can be a complicated process.

The main problem is that your insurance will fight for every single dime; they might even ignore your claim (that is why they have a lot of money!). They will minimize you claim, they will delay as possible and if you are not stressed enough after being involved in a car accident, be sure you will be after dealing with the insurance company.

If you don’t have enough problems this far, chances are that the accident resulted in personal injuries and you should know that there are many lawyers specialized in this type of cases and they can provide the assistance you need. If the accidents has caused by the negligence or deliberate actions of another, you have a case, but finding a real legal professional turn to be another complication.

Yes, there are many lawyers, and many will claim to be experienced personal injury or car accident lawyers, but you should trust lawyers that can demonstrate a solid background in this type of cases since personal injury or car accidents claims use to be complex cases and overall, long processes.

By: Nahun Silva

California Injury Lawyers Discuss Dangers of Daylight Savings and California Car Accidents

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:31:34 +0000

Each spring people in California wait for the clocks to change, for the long sunny days of spring and summer. The dark dreary day of winter over but with these added hours of light comes a hidden hazard, driving becomes a danger with these added hours of light drivers face many differences.

The body must become used to this change in the hours of daylight, this is a proven scientific fact, the body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted by this change and with many people sleep patterns are also disrupted. It is these reasons and more changes in the body the feeling of tiredness often affects many people when the time changes.

This change in time, coupled with other factors leads to highway and freeway accidents every year on the first few days after the time change and as the daylight stays later in the day drivers in Southern California face having blinding sun in their field of vision when driving home from work or out for the evening. This the can make driving extremely difficult to manage and this includes eyes adjusting to the proper vision to see other vehicles, judging distances and even seeing traffic lights.

There are also other affects that have attributed to auto accidents and one of these is with the later hours of light, warm weather that begs for people to gather with friends for drinks. Because the daylight hours last longer, this often means having drinks later at night or even partying in the great weather of Southern California till late at night. This makes it altogether possible that a motorist on the highway in the morning still has a high enough level of alcohol in their system to be legally driving under the influence.

While this may seem unlikely there have been morning accidents where a driver who was involved driving under the influence and not because the driver had a morning drink it was due to over consumption of alcohol the evening prior. This is a fact that has been found in some cases by Los Angeles DUI and DWI attorneys who have represented these clients.

By: Michael Ehline

Common Mistakes in Choosing a Car Accident Attorney

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:43:33 +0000

In this article I would like to talk to you about a few common mistakes people make when choosing a car wreck attorney. I hope that with this knowledge you will be able to avoid the frustration that goes along with a incompetent lawyer. Well enough small talk lets begin with our first mistake.

Do not judge a lawyer by their age or school they attended. Age has almost nothing to do with a lawyers experience and skill in the courtroom. A young lawyer can be very good and an old lawyer can be totally incompetent. The same goes for the school they graduated from. Just because it is a prominent school does not mean they are capable to win. School and on the job know-how are two different things. A good grade on a college exam does not mean that person is diligent or that attorney knows how to win a trial.

An even bigger blunder people make is in choosing a law firm instead of an attorney. You need to choose a specific car wreck attorney that you feel happy with. Don’t just choose a law firm because you heard their name in the paper. They might be a good law firm but maybe they specialize in divorce or medical malpractice. Or maybe the lawyer that will represent you is new and never tried a case before.

Another error people make is to hire a trial lawyer because they saw them on television. Just because a lawyer has money to spend on television ads does not make him the best attorney or they right one for you. You need to do your research about a lawyer. Look into their track record. How many cases did they win? How many did they loose? It is very essential that you understand this. Being on television. does not make one a good car accident lawyer

Another mistake is choosing a lawyer based on referrals from family or friends. Although asking friends and family is not a bad idea the problem arises when you fail to ask about the details. Does this lawyer specialize in car wreck cases? Your friend’s attorney might be the best medical malpractice attorney on the planet but how will that help you with your car accident court case?

The last and biggest mistake I want to warn you is failure to interview the lawyer before you hire him or her. You need to make sure that this attorney is right for you. Make an appointment and talk to them. Make sure you ask question. How many cases did they win? How much knowledge do they have about this type of case? What are their rates? Ask as many questions as you can. Pretend you are interviewing some for a job. What would you ask that person? Would you be comfortable hiring someone that is not experienced for a high paying job? Would you hire someone that seems to not think logically and that you are not comfortable with?

By: Joseph Crabtree

Auto Accident Injury Attorney – 2 Top Things to Look For in a Car Accident Lawyer

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:04:47 +0000

Are you considering hiring an auto accident injury attorney? In this article we are going to talk about the 2 top things to look for in a car accident lawyer.

When you are going through the process of looking for the right auto accident injury attorney sometimes things can get pretty confusing. There are so many advertisements on television that are offering to turn your wreck into a check but how do you know if they are credible or if they are going to do a good job on your case? There are many different things that you may want to look at when it comes to doing research on the person that is going to take over your case but there are really just a few that really matter. Let’s go on to talk about the 2 top things to look for in a car accident lawyer.

Number 1 – Is This Their Area Of Expertise?

When you are looking for someone to represent you and to take care of your car wreck case you should always look for someone that specializes in the area of car and truck accident law. If you look into any profession you will see that the experts are the ones that get paid the most. Why is this? Because they have researched and learned about everything that is relative to this part of law. Since the law changes they also make sure to keep track of any new parts that are added to the law. When you have an expert auto accident injury attorney you will be sure to get the most money out of your auto accident settlement.

Number 2 – Number Of Years And Number Of Cases

After you have found an expert in the field of auto accident law then you should check up on them even further. Now you need to look at the number of years they have studied, the number of years they have practiced car accident law as well as the number of cases they have taken on in those years of practicing. I am sure that you do not want to be the first case out of the gate. After all it is your money that is on the line. You want someone that is going to fight for you and know what they are doing when they are working on your case.

You can easily find a qualified and expert lawyer on the internet. Someone that has been previously researched and has proven that they can fight for your rights.

By: Jessica L Lawson

Personal Injury Lawyer Tips On Maximizing Settlement Value

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:30:38 +0000

After 22 years as a personal injury attorney there is one key principle that stands out when it comes to getting what a case is worth:

Identify all injuries and make sure each is properly diagnosed and treated.

“What?”, you say, “Isn’t that the doctor’s job?”

Maybe. But is it the doctor’s job to make sure you get maximum recovery on your personal injury case?

In this day of information overload doctors are challenged to stay on top of developments in their field and to perform their specialty competently. An orthopedic surgeon, for example, can be expected to spot a bone break. But is it realistic for him to also know symptoms of “TMJ”?

TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER (TMJ)

The temporomandibular joint is one of two joints connecting the lower jaw bone to the temporal bone (think “temples”) of the skull. It is a combined hinge and sliding joint. Temporomandibular joint disorder is an abnormal condition with facial pain and poor function of the lower jaw.

I once represented a Chinese client. He came to this country to go to school and decided to stay. While cruising the freeway in his Volkswagen bus one night, he was struck from behind by a large semi-truck.

His injuries were numerous and various. One day, after he had seen many doctors, he was visiting with me in my office discussing his personal injury case. My attention was drawn to an audible “pop” sound which coincided with the opening of his mouth.

TMJ? You better believe it. One of the worst cases I had ever seen (or heard).

Here’s a checklist of TMJ symptoms that was provided by a TMJ specialist:

1. Is there pain in or around your ears, jaw, head or neck?

2. Are there any TMJ joint noises such as popping, clicking, or cracking sounds or feelings?

3. Is it painful to eat or difficult to open your mouth?

4. Do you have frequent headaches?

Very minor TMJ ailments can sometimes be treated adequately by a chiropractor but if the disorder continues beyond several chiropractic adjustments a referral should be made to a dentist who specializes in TMJ. The dentist can fit a bracket for the patient which will, hopefully, provide lasting rehabilitation and relief.

HEAD INJURY

Another common malady in personal injury cases (especially after auto accidents) is a closed head injury. A closed head injury occurs when there is trauma (injury) to the brain that does not result in a skull fracture. One type of closed head injury is a “concussion,” which is a violent jarring or shaking injury to the brain.

Closed head injuries are actually quite common after car accidents and can occur even though the injured person is not hit on the head.

A rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head can force the brain to move back and forth across the inside of the skull. The stress from the rapid movements pulls apart nerve fibers and causes damage to brain tissue. This type of injury often occurs as a result of motor vehicle crashes and physical violence, such as Shaken Baby Syndrome. (Source: Brain Injury Association of America.)

There at least twelve (12) common symptoms of closed head injury. I obtained a list of these common symptoms from a neuropsychologist. (A “neuropsychologist” is the medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of closed head injuries.) The list was developed for a research project: “Behavioural Outcome in Head Injury” by Sureyya Dikmen, Ph.D., Principal Investigator.

Here are the symptoms:

1) headaches;

2) fatigue;

3) dizziness;

4) blurred vision;

5) trouble concentrating;

6) bothered by noise;

7) bothered by light;

irritability, lack of patience;

9) loss of temper easily;

10) memory difficulty;

11) anxiety;

12) insomnia.

For head injuries involving injury to the brain the recognized specialist is the neuropsychologist. If the patient shows some of the above symptoms and, especially if these symptoms persist for longer than 18 months, a referral should be made to one of these experts who can perform a battery of tests to accurately assess how the accident has affected the mental abilities of the injured person.

WHERE DO YOU HURT?

In addition to these checklists, one way to spot undiagnosed injuries is to ask yourself: “where am I still in pain?”. Let your doctor (or lawyer) know and get a referral to a doctor who is skilled in treating that part of your body.

Here’s an example: pain radiating down arms or legs can be a symptom of a disk herniation. Intervertebral disks are soft “pads” that separate the bones of your spine. An accident can rupture the disk’s outer covering (annulus fibrosis) causing the inner substance (nucleus pulposus) to push outward. This is called herniation and it can create pressure on surrounding tissues, most importantly the nerves which exit from your spinal cord. This pressure at the spinal level can cause pain all the way into your fingers or toes. Sometimes surgery is required to fix it.

The point here is that if you have the symptoms of a disc herniation you probably need an MRI or CT scan. (Note: symptoms of disc herniation need to be observed by a competent medical professional to determine if one of these tests is needed.) If you have a disk herniation which is properly diagnosed through one of these “imaging studies” your case will increase in value.

More importantly for you, in the long run, something can be done to treat it. If no MRI or CT scan is done then you don’t get compensated for the injury and you suffer from it without proper treatment.

By: Rex Bush

The Laws Governing Car Accidents in Massachusetts

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:30:00 +0000

In Boston, Massachusetts, personal injury attorneys have filed and represented numerous victims of drunk drivers. Throughout the entire state, there is a wide need for such attorneys as more and more victims are clamoring for coverage for their medical costs, lost income, and other sorts of damages. 171 out of the 442 auto accidents have been filed to be DUIs (this is according to the 2005 Massachusetts traffic records).

Statistics also prove further that thousands of Massachusetts drivers have been involved in many serious motorists’ accidents (numbers go up as high as 87,000 drivers who suffered from accidents from the years 2002 until 2007). A Boston car accident lawyer definitely has a lot of work up his sleeves as there are more victims that suffer needlessly each year. His job requires that he would file the police report for the victim and that he would also be the one responsible in filing a case at court (one that would fetch the coverage for the damages sustained by the victim).

For people who have already encountered auto accidents in the state of Massachusetts, they would also be able to attest that there are some laws there that could be bent by the guilty party if not known to the aggrieved individual. For a driver who becomes injured or encounters a car accident in Massachusetts, there are some possibilities that he would file for an underinsured motorist claim-more so if the driver who caused the injury does not have sufficient BI or bodily insurance.

BI’s cover for the expenses incurred during injuries and when these are not sufficient to pay for such expenses, the aggrieved party’s recourse is to look for his car insurance carrier’s benefits for the underinsured motorist. Unfortunately, Massachusetts law dictates that before filing for such, the injured party should first obtain permission from his car insurance carrier before the settlement of claims with the guilty driver’s bodily injury carrier. Another thing, the aggrieved party can only be entitled to underinsured benefits when his coverage surpasses the BI of the driver who caused the injury.

These are just some of the reasons why a Boston car accident attorney should have sufficient knowledge of the Massachusetts set of traffic laws. There are a lot of accidents out there on the road that are still waiting to happen and it is these lawyers’ responsibility to settle all such commotions in an orderly manner. Without the assistance of car accident lawyers, people would just tend to point at each others’ faults and refuse to settle-and that is an alarming scenario.

By: Caitlina Fuller

Few Words About Car Accident and Compensation Claim

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:06:10 +0000

Car accidents can turn up to be very dangerous; result depends on the intensity of the accident. Automobile accidents that take place on highways involving heavy weight vehicles like trucks often result in fatality.

Car Accidents – When To Sue, Who To Sue, Why Sue At All

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:55:51 +0000

Don’t you just hate it when you see those tacky TV ads about accident lawyers? How about that obnoxious billboard you just passed on the highway showing a crashed car and someone being taken away by ambulance? Or what about those endless yellow page ads where they show a car driving off a cliff, and someone smiling in the foreground holding a nice big fat check with lots of numbers on it? It all makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it?

Not. It makes me sick. Don’t get me wrong. Every lawyer in New York is permitted to advertise according to the Court rules (which were recently made stricter at the beginning of this year). However, there is something to be said for tasteful ads, and ads that are trying to sell you something.

When you’re in a car accident, the last thing you think about is finding a lawyer to sue the driver of the car that caused your accident. The first thing on your mind should be how to get better. You need to recuperate, regenerate and get your strength back. You need to worry about the important things in your life like putting food on your family’s table, and going back to work.

Well how can you go back to work if you’re still in the hospital after weeks of surgery and rehabilitation? Can you go on disability? Who will pay your medical bills? What if you don’t have medical insurance? How can you feed and clothe your family if you can’t work? These are all very important questions that often arise after a car accident.

In New York, your own car insurance will pay your medical bills- up to a maximum of $50,000. This is known as no-fault insurance. Once the details of the accident are resolved, to figure out who really caused the accident, the insurance companies settle up on their own regarding the medical expenses they had to pay.

But what about that often-heard phrase, “Pain & Suffering”? Aren’t you entitled to that as well? The answer is yes. However, in order to obtain compensation for your pain and suffering you will probably need to start a lawsuit against the owner(s) and driver(s) involved in your car accident.

How much time do you have to start a lawsuit for your injuries arising from a car accident?
In New York, you generally have only THREE (3) years from the date of the accident within which to start a lawsuit for your injuries. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE ONLY 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT TO FILE A CLAIM WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR YOUR MEDICAL EXPENSES!

A car accident is traumatic- no question about it. Your road to recovery is the most important part of events after the accident. Whether you have a valid and meritorious case hinges on many facts that only an attorney should be evaluating. Don’t rely on good-hearted friends and family to tell you their tales of woe when they were involved in an accident years ago. You need an experienced attorney who has handled cases like yours.

You need someone who has experience in Court and isn’t afraid to go to trial if the insurance company refuses to settle for an appropriate amount of compensation. You need a lawyer who can guide you through the minefield of litigation. Hopefully, with good legal counsel you’ll be able to make the right choices that will help you recover both emotionally and monetarily.

By: Gerry Oginski

Car Accident Settlement – Bulging Disk Versus Herniated Disk

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:07:55 +0000

You are the victim of a car accident and have been experiencing pain in your back or neck since. It is now time for settlement and you have been diagnosed with a bulging disk in your back or neck. Why would an insurance adjuster is refuse to compensate for this diagnosis?

Normally a bulging disk is considered part of the aging process. Over time the disk extends outside the space it should normally occupy. On the other hand a herniated disk results when there is a crack in the disk cartilage allowing the softer material to protrude out of the disk. A ruptured disk or a slipped disk is also know as a herniated disk. A bulging disk can become herniated.

A bulging disk may have been in existence prior to the collision; however, it may not have been painful. Now after the accident this bulging disk is generating pain and in some instances debilitating pain. The only way to provide proof to the insurance company that you were not in pain prior to the collision is to offer up past medical records. The absence of documentation, treatment and/or prescriptions to treat the pain associated with your bulging disk should be enough to prove you were not experiencing this level of pain that you are currently suffering from.

Bottom line insurance companies are making it harder for minor fender benders to recover on their medical bills. One way around this is to deny medical bills based on claims that could be classified as attributable to the aging process. In other words their claim is, it was a pre-existing injury and therefore they are not required to compensate you. This creates a huge savings to the insurance companies. Bottom line, the adjuster works for the insurance company and it is their job to try and save money for their employer.

By: Lisa Douglas

Rhode Island Personal Injury Law FAQS and Automobile – Car Accidents – by a RI Lawyer – Attorney

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 04:03:47 +0000

Question: Should I negotiate with the insurance adjuster myself without the help of an attorney in order to settle a Rhode Island personal injury, slip and fall or automobile / auto / car accident case?

Answers: No. Representing yourself and negotiating with an insurance adjuster is usually not a good idea! Because you are not an attorney and have not handled personal injury matters before, you are often not aware of the full value of your case. The insurance adjuster may take advantage of your inexperience. Insurance adjusters typically will offer a lot less money to a person representing themselves than they would to an attorney representing a client. (Article by David Slepkow 401-437-1100)

Furthermore, when you are representing yourself in a Rhode Island personal injury or slip and fall case, the insurance company knows that you do not know how to litigate a lawsuit. Therefore you don’t have as much leverage with the insurance adjuster.

Question: How do Rhode Island personal injury lawyers charge for personal injury /automobile/ car accident and slip and fall cases?

Answer: Most lawyers In Rhode Island take personal injury, premises liability, dog bite cases, slip and fall and auto / car accidents on a contingent fee basis. Article by David slepkow (401-437-1100) This means that the lawyers do not collect any fees unless they are successful in settling your personal injury case or winning a verdict at trial. The lawyer typically will take the case costs from the settlement or verdict at the end of the case. Most attorneys advance case costs.

Question: If I hire a Rhode Island personal injury attorney, how does the process work?

Answer: You should retain a RI personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the automobile or other accident. At the first meeting, the attorney typically will get all the important information concerning the accident including, but not limited to, the names of the witnesses, all injuries and the treating physician and doctors.

The attorney may want to visit the actual scene of the accident or slip and fall so that he can get further prospective on how the accident occurred. If the case is a slip and fall case, the lawyer should visit the scene of the accident if possible and interview potential witnesses. If you have any pictures of the accident scene, your damaged automobile, or of the resulting injuries, it is usually a good idea to show those to the lawyer.

If your lawyer is interested in taking the case, he or she will typically enter into a contingent fee personal injury fee agreement with you. You will need to provide a list of the names and addresses of all witnesses. Your lawyer will also ask you for the names and addresses of all treating physicians and the names and addresses of all hospitals and treating facilities. The lawyer will ask you to sign medical releases pursuant to federal law which will allow your lawyer to collect your medical bills and medical records from your health care provider concerning your injury.

The attorney will be very interested in knowing whether or not you have health insurance and the extent of your health insurance coverage. If your health insurance plan is covering your medical bills, they typically have a lien against any settlement proceeds you receive. It is necessary for your lawyer on your behalf to repay your health insurance company from the proceeds of any settlement or verdict that you receive. These liens typically can be negotiated with the health insurance company. Some insurance companies will typically lower their lien 25% to 33% to account for the work that your attorney has done on the case.

Sometimes, if liability or damage are in dispute, you can get a further reduction of the lien. Typically your lawyer will not be able to disburse any monies to you until he has paid the insurance company for the lien amount.

After the initial consultation and after you have retained the personal injury lawyer, the lawyer will typically do an investigation, if necessary, by calling witnesses, reviewing police reports, or doing anything else that is necessary to further your case. The attorney may need to read relevant Rhode Island negligence case law to evaluate the merits of your perspnal injury case. The attorney will collect your medical records and billing records. Obtaining your billing records for the accident from the medical providers is extremely important because the amount of medical bills that you have is a very important factor in determining the ultimate value of your case for settlement or trial purposes.

Your attorney typically will wait until he/she believes that you have reached a certain point in your medical treatment before he makes an offer to the insurance company to settle your personal injury case. Attorneys are typically concerned that they will settle the case prior to knowing the full extent of a person’s injuries. After an automobile accident case is settled and the release is signed, there is no way to get paid any further damages even if your injuries become substantially more severe. Therefore, it is usually not a good idea to settle the personal injury case prior to having some idea as to the extent of your injuries in the future. Your back, neck, shoulder or leg injury could get worse as time goes bye.

After the lawyer meets with you, he will typically send a letter of representation to all the insurance companies involved giving them general information about the case. The insurance company will open up a personal injury case file and respond to your attorney. Insurance companies are required by law to investigate the facts and look into the potential personal injury cause of action. When the attorney is comfortable that the right time has arrived, he or she will typically send a settlement package to the insurance company. This settlement letter usually includes an evaluation of the permanency of the injury, if any, and describes the pain and suffering of the client as well as any lost wages and medical bills incurred. The attorney typically includes in the settlement package an initial demand for settlement of the case.

The insurance company will usually reply to the letter with either an offer to settle the case or a denial of liability. If the insurance company is denying liability in the persoanl injury case and refusing to pay anything, then the attorney will have no choice but to file a lawsuit to seek damages. In the event that a settlement offer is made to the attorney, there usually will be a period of negotiation to see if the parties can agree to a settlement amount.

If the parties cannot agree to a settlement amount, it may be necessary to file a personal injury/ negligence law suit in either any of the Rhode Island District Courts or Rhode Island Superior Court. In Rhode Island (RI), most personal injury, automobile accident, premises liability and slip and fall cases are handled in Rhode Island Superior Court because matters over $10,000.00 in Rhode Island must be heard in Superior Court.

Question: My Rhode Island personal injury attorney is unable to settle my car accident case with the insurance adjuster, then what happens next?

Answer: If the attorney is unable to settle the case with the insurance adjuster, then it is necessary to file a lawsuit in court. The process of a Rhode Island personal injury civil lawsuit can take up to a few years to resolve. Your lawyer will file a complaint in court alleging negligence or other causes of action asking the court to award you damages. After the complaint is filed, the insurance company will typically hire an attorney to represent their insured. The insurance company’s lawyer will file an answer to the case.

After the complaint and answer are filed, there is usually a discovery period. The parties can send interrogatories to each other which are written questions that the other party must answer. The parties can also take depositions of witnesses which is when the other lawyer asks you questions about the case in front of a stenographer. After the discovery period, there may be a motion to dismiss or motions for summary judgment that are filed by either of the parties.

If the case is not dismissed or summarily decided, then the case will proceed to trial. The average amount of time for a law suit in Rhode Island is about two years, although the amount of time for the law suit could vary depending on how complex the case is, availability of witnesses, and the amount of cases on the docket.

Question: How do I obtain evidence of my personal injury in Rhode Island?

Answer: Please take photographs of all injuries including , but not limited to, cuts, bruises and broken bones. Do not wait too long after the accident. Please do the best that you can to obtain the witness names, addresses, phone numbers, and other information to give to your Rhode Island personal injury attorney. Please keep records of your out-of-pocket expenses for your medical bills, lost wages and other expenses incurred such as medication and medical accessories. You need to keep accurate records because you will need to provide them to the insurance company. If your injury was caused by a whiplash injury caused by a rear end accident you may need to hire an expert to testify on your behalf as to the seriousness of upper and lower back injuries caused by whiplash.

Question: Will my Rhode Island personal injury lawyer keep what I tell him confidential?

Answer: In Rhode Island there is an attorney-client privilege. Your attorney is precluded from disclosing confidential information that you do not want him to disclose to others. There is certain limited exceptions to the attorney-client privilege which usually do not apply.

Question: What type of costs are typically incurred in Rhode Island (RI) personal injury cases?

Answer: Out-of-pocketcosts, are expenses that are incurred by your lawyer to properly settle or litigate your case. The out of pocket expenses are usually advanced by the lawyer. Medical providers usually charge a nominal fee to copy your medical records. Most doctors also charge a fee to write a comprehensive medical report detailing your course of treatment, injury prognosis and whether or not your injuries are permanent. If it is necessary to have a doctor testify at the trial of your case, then the doctor may charge a substantial fee for his attendance.

Another example of out-of-pocket expenses that you may incur is a filing fee to file the complaint in Providence / kent / Newport or Washington County Superior Court and the fee for service of process of the personal injury complaint.

The amount of costs incurred in your case varies from case to case and depend on how complex your persoanl injury case is. The more serious your injuries are the more out of pocket expenses that may be incurred. Most attorneys will get prior approval before incurring a substantial cost on your behalf.

By: David Slepkow