Personal Injury FAQs

Even though you have two years to file your suit, you should consult a lawyer immediately. The moment an accident occurs, there are many forces at work that are not aligned with your best interests—investigators, insurance companies, insurance defense attorneys, to name a few—taking action to build a case against your claim or to minimize its value. The best thing you can do after getting the medical attention you need, of course, is to give us a call. We will advise you right away about whom to speak with and whom to refer to us to handle. There are a myriad of little things that should be done once an accident occurs, in order to best protect and begin building your bodily injury claim. Our team will immediately begin an investigation of your claim, while witnesses’ memories are still fresh and before any evidence has been destroyed, and make sure that you are shielded from insurance representatives whose only mission is to undermine your claim. Everything we do is designed to increase your claim’s chances of success and to bolster its value. To know more about what we can do for you, please give us a call.

The types of damages, or methods of recovery, available depend on the specific facts of your case, but may include:

• Past and current medical costs
• Hospital, surgery and related bills
• Future medical care
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses
• Disability payments
• Past, present and future lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Scarring compensation
• Disfigurement compensation
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced enjoyment of life

Depending upon your relation to the decedent, or person who was fatally injured, you can pursue financial compensation due to another person’s or business entity’s carelessness, negligence or recklessness. There are two causes of action that can emanate from the loss of a loved one in such an accident, a wrongful death claim and a survival action. The specific forms of damages available under each of these claims differ and can best be explained by a highly-qualified personal injury attorney who handles wrongful death claims.

Depending upon the facts of your case, you could be eligible for:

• Funeral and burial costs
• Hospital and medical expenses associated with the fatal injuries
• Lost past and future income
• Loss of benefits, such as health insurance, Social Security and pension or 401(k) benefits
• Loss of companionship, friendship, moral support, guidance, support and love
• Loss of services, including home management, lawn care, cleaning, cooking, accounting, security and childcare
• Emotional suffering and distress

The value of your case depends on the specific facts of your accident and injuries. Claims are a work in progress, meaning, what we do along the way and how your treatment unfolds go a long way in determining what the ultimate value of your claim will be. At GLS Injury Law, we know how insurance companies evaluate claims, so our advice, guidance and legal strategy is all geared toward maximizing your financial recovery.

Do not accept an offer to settle your claim before you have spoken with a highly-qualified and trustworthy personal injury lawyer. Typically, once you sign a release or settlement agreement, you are giving up your right to any future medical coverage and financial compensation beyond what is set forth in that document. Insurance companies move quickly to try and resolve claims, many times before the full magnitude and effect of your injuries and damages are known and appreciated. This allows them to get away with paying significantly less than your claim is worth and can create severe financial hardship for you and your family if your injuries, lost time from work, medical expenses, etc. are not short-term.

Most personal injury claims are settled well before going to trial. If a claim is worked up the right way—meaning, it is built with a strong foundation, is well-postured and is presented in a strong and persuasive manner—the odds are that the case will settle before going to trial. At GLS Injury Law, this is exactly how we go about building our clients’ claims. Usually, this results in a fair and reasonable offer from the insurance company well before a trial is necessary. Our goal is to get the maximum value for your claim while subjecting you to as little “legal trauma” as possible—and we have had a tremendous amount of success in accomplishing this. Sometimes, however, we need to play hardball with an insurance company that is not fairly valuing a client’s claim. That’s when our experience and success in the courtroom—we have handled over 100 jury trials—backs up our tough talk. Insurance companies know that we will go the distance to make sure our clients get everything they deserve.

We know that, when an accident strikes, the resultant injuries can put a lot of pressure on the victim and their family. Therefore, at GLS Injury Law, you will never receive a bill for the time we spend on your case. Our firm handles every accident and injury claim on a contingency-fee basis, which means that, if we are not successful in getting you the money you deserve, you won’t owe us a penny. If we do earn a financial recovery for you, our fee is a flat percentage of that recovery, which is spelled out clearly in our representation agreement at the outset of your claim. Also, at GLS Injury Law, we advance all file and litigation costs for our clients. This means that we never ask you to cover any expenses associated with handling your case; instead, we front these costs, and then they are reimbursed from any recovery ultimately made.