Legal Blog by Las Vegas based Richard Harris Law Firm

How much is your personal injury claim worth? Like so much in life, it depends. Before we get into the ins and outs of determining what your claim may be worth, it’s important to know there is no magic calculator to quickly estimate a case’s value. Rather, accurately calculating an individual case’s value requires an experienced personal injury lawyer to navigate the details of that case to ultimately lead to the best possible outcome.

There are many examples of personal injuries that can, out of the blue, affect one’s life:

• Auto accidents
• Aviation accidents
• Boat Accidents
• Bus accidents
• Construction accidents
• Dangerous drugs
• Defective products
• Dog bites
• Employment incidents
• Insurance bad faith
• Medical malpractice
• Motorcycle accidents
• Nursing home abuse
• Premises liability
• Truck accidents
• Wrongful death

There are several parties involved in determining the ultimate value of a personal injury case. The insurance company representing the at-fault individual will want to minimize its costs by minimizing your claim. Insurance companies typically claim a case is worth far less than what it may actually be worth. Your lawyer has a vested interest in recovering the full value of your case, covering all actual and future costs and damages for pain and suffering, lost wages (including future losses), etc. Your vested interest, of course, is to restore the lives of you and your family members as best as possible, given your particular circumstances.

Ultimately, a personal injury lawsuit can be ended through negotiation and/or mediation, or it could end up in court with a judge or jury determining how much your claim is actually worth. Having a highly-experienced lawyer on your side is vital to identifying the value of your case and taking the many steps to make sure your rights and compensation are just.

What are some of the factors that determine my case’s value?

There are many factors that go into determining the value of a personal injury case. Typically, it’s a complex process that requires significant research and answers before that value can be determined. Factors include:

• The severity of your particular injury
• The length of time estimated for your recovery
• Whether or not you will fully recover
• Whether or not there was property damage or loss involved
• Lost wages since the accident and projected lost wages in the future
• Accurate medical diagnosis regarding your condition and any needed future medical care
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement
• Mental anguish and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages

The average person simply is not equipped to know what to include or how to accurately calculate the monetary compensation for each component. Leaving out one or several pieces can mean the difference between a just settlement versus one that may haunt you for the rest of your life.

What are some expenses that I may incur because of my personal injury?

After you’ve sustained a personal injury, you’ll likely immediately have thoughts of expenses. How much is this going to cost? How many medical bills will start rolling in, and will my insurance cover them? What if I don’t recover fully and I can’t work in my profession again? It’s a scary situation for anyone. To get the injured person full and fair compensation, an experienced lawyer knows how to create and calculate an accurate, comprehensive set of expenses, such as:

• Immediate, emergency medical care (attending physicians, hospital, specialists, etc.)
• Ambulance and ER fees
• Diagnostic exams and testing
• Prescriptions
• Post-event follow-up visits
• Ongoing medical care
• Physical therapy services
• Nursing or in-home services
• Lost wages
• Future lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Not every case will incur the same expenses or have all of the components as touched on, above. Beyond these examples, there are also other expenses that may be incurred, such as investigators working on your case and experts to testify about your medical condition(s) and its ramifications.

The bottom line is that personal injury cases are complex, and placing a value on a particular case is difficult and time-consuming. By working with a qualified personal injury lawyer, your case will receive the expertise, time, and attention to detail required to battle for a just settlement, one that truly reflects your needs based on your injury and its effect on your life and that of your family.

When you are involved in a personal injury incident, it is imperative to seek legal help immediately after emergency care is sought. You’ll need legal guidance very early on that will affect the value of your case and its ultimate outcome.

When you’ve been injured in an accident you should only be preoccupied with one thing: recovering from your injuries. Dealing with insurance companies and other liable parties should be the last thing on your mind at this time. Knowing that insurance companies’ goals are to pay the bare minimum, you need an advocate who will look after your needs, who knows the legal terrain, and who will claim and negotiate the highest possible compensation on your behalf. The following are the top reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer if you are injured in an accident:

1. If there’s no settlement, you will not be charged a fee: We discussed fee arrangements previously. The Richard Harris Law Firm most often employs the contingency method, which places a higher responsibility on the lawyer to settle and demand the highest legal settlements, because their fee is directly linked to your settlement. If there’s no settlement, you won’t be charged a fee.
2. Knowledge and Experience with the legal territory: The lawyers at the Richard Harris Law Firm deal with insurance companies and make thousands of claims a year. They know this area of the law and know what is and is not a legitimate claim. They know how the paperwork must be filed with each insurance company and the courts, and the best way to present your case in order to obtain the best settlement. They also know how to counter insurance company tactics which will often delay and minimize your claim.
3. Your lawyer will properly investigate your claim: From obtaining police or accident reports to obtaining video evidence (if available) to investigating all areas of insurance coverage, to finding assets of adverse parties, the lawyers at the Richard Harris Law Firm will leave no stone unturned in building your case.
4. We will collect, organize, present and negotiate your claim: A serious accident may result in significant medical treatment over a period of time, which may be confusing to you during your time of recovery. Our lawyers and case managers will obtain all documentation of medical treatment and billings, and will also consider pain and suffering, lost income, loss of consortium, and other important losses you suffered due to the accident and will organize the information to present a demand to all insurance and other entities which are liable in your accident. Once presented, our lawyers will negotiate with all parties to obtain a fair and equitable settlement for you.
5. The Richard Harris Law Firm will pursue alternate dispute resolution methods: If negotiations with liable parties fails to yield a fair settlement for you, we are prepared to pursue alternate dispute resolution methods, short of a trial, to bring maximum pressure on negligent parties to settle fairly. Whether its mediation or arbitration, our lawyers know when these methods need to be employed to obtain the best settlement.
6. We will take your case to trial: If all other negotiation methods fail, our lawyers will take your case to court. We are proud at the Richard Harris Law Firm to have some of the best litigators, with records of presenting cases before juries, and obtaining large settlements for our clients, and will not hesitate to present your case in a court of law. Our firm has assembled at talented team of paralegals and litigators who know how to organize and present evidence before a jury which is most likely to result in a positive outcome for you.
7. Higher settlements are obtained when you are represented by an attorney: Research shows that accident victims who are represented by a lawyer receive higher settlements than individuals who represent themselves with insurance companies and other liable parties, even considering the attorney fee. Whether your case settles at the demand stage or requires the additional efforts of alternate dispute resolution methods, or even a trial, you are more likely to obtain a fair settlement when represented by the lawyers of the Richard Harris Law Firm than what you could obtain by yourself.

The Richard Harris Law Firm will aggressively represent you after an injury accident

Our firm has the knowledge, the talented lawyers, and the skills to properly represent you after you are injured due to the negligence of others. If you have been injured in an accident for which you were not at fault, the lawyers of the Richard Harris Law Firm are available to skillfully pursue your claim to obtain a fair settlement for you to compensate you for losses due to the accident. If you’ve been in an accident due to no fault of your own, and are considering hiring a lawyer to represent you, call our firm today to discuss your case at (702) 444-4444.

For many people, the legal system and attorneys are things they’ve only seen in movies or heard about. The idea of getting a lawyer can be intimidating and scary for them—especially if they have to go to court and sit in front of a judge.

But getting a law firm on your side after suffering injuries in an accident that wasn’t your fault doesn’t always play out that way. At the Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm, our Nevada personal injury lawyers settle many claims out of court—and that means our clients get big checks without ever stepping foot in a courtroom.

In fact, it’s our goal to make every aspect of the legal process as easy and stress-free as possible for our clients. You’re dealing with enough stress already. Let us handle the paperwork, the insurance company, and the negotiations while you focus on getting better.

The 5 Steps of a Personal Injury Claim

You’ve had your initial consultation, your attorney agrees that you have a strong claim, and you decide to hire our law firm. What’s next?

Here are five things that you can expect to happen as your claim progresses:

1. We’ll gather evidence that proves you weren’t at fault for your accident or injuries.
2. We’ll gather evidence that proves your injuries are linked to the accident or negligence of another person/party.
3. We’ll calculate how much your accident or injuries have cost you and will cost you in the future.
4. We’ll prepare a demand letter that tells the insurance company exactly how much they owe you for the expenses you’ve incurred.
5. We’ll negotiate with the insurance company to maximize your chances of getting full compensation.

Insurance companies almost always agree to pay settlements to victims who have attorneys on their sides. But if the insurance company is stubborn in your case, we won’t hesitate to take your claim to trial—and we’ll be by your side every step of the way. Contact us today at (702) 213-4416, and let us get to work for you.

After you’ve been hurt through no fault of your own, it’s our goal to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Unfortunately, the insurance company doesn’t always put your best interests first. When they don’t offer you a fair settlement, we’re prepared to fight for your rights to the compensation you’re owed.

After we help you file a lawsuit, one of the ways we protect your rights is through a process called discovery. What, exactly, is discovery? We’ve created this post to help you better understand this step of the legal process.

Discovery is the process by which we gather and exchange relevant case information with the opposing party, such as facts, evidence, and witnesses. There are four main types of discovery:

1. Interrogatories – Interrogatories are sets of questions exchanged between both parties. These questions help gather relevant facts, such as when and where your injury or accident occurred, the contact information of any witnesses or involved parties, the injuries you suffered as a result of the incident, the medical treatment you received for your injuries, and any important medical history.

2. Request for Production of Documents – This type of discovery is exactly what it sounds like. You may request documents from the opposing party such as medical records, medical receipts, photographs of your injuries, photographs of property damage, and any other related documents.

3. Request for Admission – Requesting admission asks the opposing party to admit certain facts. You can admit, deny, or explain why you can neither admit nor deny these facts. This can help save time if your case goes to court. Once a fact has been admitted, it no longer needs to be called into question during trial.

4. Depositions – Depositions are recorded, under-oath testimonies obtained outside of court. This gives both parties the opportunity to ask the opposing side, witnesses, or experts questions pertaining to the facts of the case. Depositions may be recorded via transcript or video and are sometimes used during trial.

If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, we want to fight for you. For nearly 40 years, the attorneys at the Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm have helped accident victims pursue the maximum compensation they deserve. We want to do the same for you.

Although most personal injury cases are settled before the trial stage, a small percentage of them still make it into the courtroom. At Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm, we know that the thought of going to trial may seem intimidating. That’s why we want to remove some of the mystery that surrounds taking a case to court.

To make sure you’re as informed as possible throughout the injury-claim process, let’s take a closer look at what you can expect when your case goes to trial.

The Steps of a Personal Injury Trial

If you’ve reached the trial phase, chances are that your case could not be settled via mediation or arbitration. The purpose of a trial is to give you the opportunity to present your case in hopes of obtaining a favorable verdict. The trial also gives the defendant a chance to tell his or her side of the story. The judge or jury ultimately decides who is liable for the plaintiff’s injuries and the amount of damages they are owed.

A typical personal injury trial consists of the following stages:

• Jury selection–Before the trial begins, a jury must be chosen. During this process, the judge, as well as the plaintiff’s and defendant’s respective attorneys, interview potential jurors. The prospective jurors answer questions designed to reveal any reasons that would prevent them from fairly deciding the case.
• Opening statements–This is the first opportunity for both parties to present their side of the story. Your lawyer presents the facts of the accident or injury and explains how the evidence shows the defendant’s liability. The defendant’s lawyer is then given the chance to present the facts from their perspective.
• Witness testimony and cross-examination–During this stage of the trial, evidence is presented to the jury—including physical evidence such as photographs, medical records, and testimonies from witnesses and experts. These witnesses and experts answer questions from the plaintiff’s attorney (direct examination) and then by the defendant’s attorney (cross-examination).
• Closing arguments–After the presentation of evidence and examination of witnesses, both sides are given one last chance to convince the jury to rule in their favor.
• Jury instruction and deliberation–Before the jury is sent to deliberate, the judge provides instructions that must be considered by the jury in deciding a case. These instructions are unique to the case itself. After listening to the judge, the jury meets to decide the final verdict.

Trial-Ready Nevada Personal Injury Lawyers

The personal injury attorneys at Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm have nearly four decades of experience fighting for injury victims like you—and we’re no strangers to the courtroom. If you or a loved one was injured through no fault of your own, contact us today.

In addition to being traumatic, painful, and disabling, auto accidents are also expensive. Victims often face big medical bills for post-accident treatments, including surgeries, prescription medications, and ongoing physical rehabilitation.

To make matters worse, many victims are unable to go back to work for long periods of time. And when they’re not working, they’re not earning the paychecks they need to keep up with their families’ living expenses—let alone pay the big medical bills that pile-up week after week.

Filing claims for compensation can help victims recoup some or all of the money that their accidents cost them, but many victims find that the process isn’t as easy as the insurance company makes it out to be. The unfortunate truth about insurance companies is that they’re in business to make big profits for themselves, and paying out settlements to people who were hurt in accidents isn’t part of that plan.

3 Ways the Insurance Company May Work Against You

If you were recently hurt in an accident, it’s important to remember that the insurance company isn’t necessarily on your side. In fact, insurance companies employ teams of adjusters whose sole job is to reduce or deny claims. They achieve that by using three common tactics against victims like you:

1. Using your own words against you—Whether it’s statements you made at the accident scene, posts you made on social media, or comments you made to the adjusters themselves, insurance companies are notorious for twisting victims’ words into admissions of guilt or liability. When they think they have enough evidence to suggest that victims were responsible for their own injuries, they’ll deny their claims without hesitation.
2. Claiming your injuries were pre-existing—Insurance companies dig through victims’ medical records and even their social media posts to find out whether there’s any history of similar injuries in their pasts. If they find any evidence that the injuries you suffered during your accident are similar to previous injuries—even if those occurred years ago—they may use that information to deny your claim.
3. Pointing out small oversights or mistakes in your claim—Filing a claim involves plenty of paperwork and the submission of evidence, including medical records and even police reports. Insurance companies look closely at every claim they receive, and even minor omissions or mistakes are enough for them to outright deny otherwise valid claims from innocent victims.

After being jerked around by insurance companies or having their claims denied due to technicalities, many victims feel like the system is rigged against them—and in some ways, it is. However, having an experienced lawyer on your side can help you level the playing field and even gain a major advantage.

At Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm, we know what you’re going through, and we know what it takes to help you get the money you deserve. Call us at (702) 444-4444 today or fill out an online form to get a free consultation and to find out how we may be able to help you and your loved ones.