BENCHMARKS FOR INJURY CASES

OUR GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING WHICH CASES TO ACCEPT

At Jones & Swanson, we use certain general guidelines to help us determine the likelihood of a case resulting in compensation, as well as whether or not we will accept that case. By looking at this information, you can better determine whether it is in your best interests to bring your case to our law firm. We do not want you to waste time and energy bringing your personal injury matter to a firm that you will not be able to work with in the end. If our Marietta legal team cannot assist you, we can at least do our best to refer you to another legal professional who can.

WHAT ARE THE BENCHMARKS?

Here are some of the various benchmarks we set for personal injury cases we handle:

There must be proof of liability. Your case will only be successful if it can be proven that another party’s negligence or wrongdoing caused your accident. If there is evidence that you were at fault for the accident, or if there is a lack of strong evidence that the other party is at fault, this can serve as a major barrier when it comes to securing your compensation.

We must be able to prove your injuries. This means that we must be able to obtain verification of your injuries from the doctor who treated you. This verification often occurs through medical records, as well as through statements and court testimony from the medical professionals connected to your case. If you solely received treatment that is considered as being more minor—such as through a chiropractor or physical therapist, it could be extremely challenging to prove that you were seriously injured, or that a large settlement or verdict is justifiable.

Your accident must not have occurred too long ago. The more time that passes from the time of your accident, the less time we have to prepare a strong claim or lawsuit on your behalf. While we prefer to take on cases immediately following the victims’ accidents, we are willing to handle cases in which longer periods of time have elapsed. If an especially long period of time has passed (such as a year), we will seriously need to consider our chances of reaching a successful outcome for your personal injury matter.

There must be a way to actually obtain financial compensation. Compensation for victims’ injuries can usually be obtained through the at-fault party’s insurance company, from the actual at-fault party (such as a large corporation) or from the victim’s own insurance company. In order for us to take on a case, there must be a channel through which we can seek a settlement or monetary damages and actually expect it to come through. Lawsuits can be extremely time-consuming and costly, so it is important that there is a way for these costs to be recovered.