The Seattle Personal Injury Blog
Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014 by
Chris Thayer
While accident attorneys in Seattle can handle legal issues involved in your case, they may rely on victims to gather and keep track of certain information. This is particularly true when concerning the issue of damages. Accident attorneys in Seattle may provide the following guidelines to ensure that they get all of the information that they need.
Ask for Medical Bills
Each time that you go to a doctor’s appointment, physical therapy session or other location for treatment, ask for a medical bill showing this visit.
Keep Receipts for Prescriptions
Accident lawyers in Seattle may also recommend that you keep receipts for all prescription medicines that you take. This can help you document the expense, as well as provide objective proof of the pain that you were under while recovering from your injury.
Create a Chart
Accident lawyers in Seattle may also ask their clients to make a chart showcasing all of their medical bill data. For example, they may ask the client to record each expense, the reason for the expense, the amount of the expense and the date that the expense was incurred on a spreadsheet or similar table. Additionally, the table should show the source of payment for the expense, such as insurance or cash.
Provide Copies to Your Attorney
Accident attorneys in Seattle will need to receive a copy of all medical bills associated with your injury claim. Additionally, he or she will want a summary of this information so that he or she has all pertinent information when presenting this information to the jury or to the defendant during a settlement negotiation. If you neglect to provide your attorney with this information and he or she believes that all information has been reported, your case may settle for less than its actual value.
If you would like more information on how to keep track of your medical expenses during your personal injury case or if you have other questions, contact Chris Thayer by calling (206) 340-2008 at your convenience. You can schedule a confidential consultation with him, as well as discuss the particular circumstances involved in your case.
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Posted Thursday, November 13, 2014 by
Chris Thayer
If you are like most people across the nation, you probably have at least one social media account that you access daily. You might not realize that opposing counsel can use your posts and comments against you during a personal injury case. Our Seattle personal injury attorney can help you reduce this risk.
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Posted Thursday, November 13, 2014 by
Chris Thayer
After your accident attorney in Seattle submits a demand letter to the insurance company handling the case, you may want to know what the next stage of your litigation is. In particular, you may want to know how much time you can expect to wait before you receive a settlement offer. However, your accident lawyer in Seattle can explain that the timing of a settlement is based on several factors.
Liability
For example, your accident attorney in Seattle can explain that if liability is not as clear, it may take longer to settle your claim. In some cases, it is much easier to tell which party is to blame. However, if your accident involved multiple vehicles, it may be possible that another person may be at least partially responsible for the accident. Additionally, if you may have contributed to the accident even if the insurance company’s client is partially responsible, the insurance company may take more time to assess your fault so that this amount can be discounted from the settlement offer.
Caseload
If the insurance adjuster who is primarily handling your case is also handling several other cases, it may take longer for the insurance adjuster to get back with your accident attorney in Seattle. The season of the year can also impact the number of cases that insurance adjusters are dealing with at any given time.
Preparation of the Claim
A significant factor that an accident lawyer in Seattle can explain to you is how documented the claim has been thus far. If your attorney has provided enough information to the insurance adjuster so that the adjuster can assess the value of the claim, this can help speed up the claims process in some cases.
Internal Policies
There may be an internal process within the insurance company that specifies the amount of time that a claim is expected to last. Other factors may affect the timing based on insurance company policies, such as how many supervisors must approve of the settlement.
If you would like to know a more approximate timeline in which you can expect a settlement, contact Chris Thayer by calling (206) 340-2008.
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Posted Thursday, November 6, 2014 by
Chris Thayer
When you have been the victim of a vehicular accident, the delays in the case could seem to take a long time to resolve. You might want to contact the other party’s insurance company in order to find out additional information on the case progress. Instead, speak with your Seattle personal injury attorney for updates.
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Posted Thursday, October 30, 2014 by
Chris Thayer
For many victims of a car accident, the internal soft tissue damage to the neck and back can be excruciatingly painful but very difficult to diagnose. In the context of personal injury litigation, it is often difficult for plaintiffs to advance their claims of soft-tissue damage without a solid diagnosis of a medical condition. However, an experienced and knowledgeable Seattle car accident attorney can successfully litigate claims of soft-tissue injury, as well as obtain adequate and fair compensation on behalf of the victim. If you are suffering from back or neck injuries, including whiplash, as a result of your recent auto accident, contact a Seattle auto accident attorney right away.
Understanding Soft-tissue Injury
Soft-tissue damage is so called because it impacts the soft connective tissue in the body including ligaments, tendons or delicate muscle tissue. When a driver is involved in a sudden and abrupt collision, these tissues become strained and can tear or become inflamed causing significant pain and soreness. Severe soft tissue injuries may require rehabilitation, surgery, chiropractic care or treatment with pain medication. Nonetheless, soft-tissue damage is often the most disputed type of injury by personal injury defendants and insurance companies.
Seattle Car Accident Attorney Discusses Common Soft-tissue Injury Disputes
There are a number of reasons why soft-tissue damage is one of the most disputed medical conditions within the context of personal injury litigation. For one, soft-tissue damage can occur in both high- and low-speed collisions. When the injury occurs following a low-speed accident, defendants often assume the plaintiff is exaggerating his or her claim. Secondly, soft-tissue injuries often take several days to occur, which explains why many plaintiffs do not report the pain at the scene of the accident or even see a doctor for a period of time after the incident. Lastly, soft-tissue damage may be difficult to detect using a traditional X-ray or imaging device. Nonetheless, an experienced physician should be able to diagnose this type of injury, which will weigh heavily in favor of the plaintiff.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Seattle Today
For a car accident lawyer Seattle can trust, please call attorney Chris Thayer at (206) 340-2008. Our law office is dedicated to helping injured auto accident victims, no matter the severity of the injury. For an appointment, please call today.
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