Is Someone Else Responsible for Your Injury?

As a personal injury victim, you may not know whether someone else is responsible for your injury.  Meaning, you were injured because a person or corporation took some action, or failed to take an action, and this caused your injury.  

For example, if you were injured using a product, it may be that the manufacturer failed to safely design the product.  If you took a drug the caused painful and permanent damage, the drug manufacturer may have failed to properly warn you of the dangers.  Or, if you slipped and fell at someone's else home or a place of business, it may be that the owner failed to provide a safe environment for you.  In these situations, the person or entity responsible for your accident is required by law to compensate you for the damages you have suffered.  This includes your medical bills, your lost wages, your loss of ability to earn future income, and more.  

Often an Insurance Company is Responsible for Your Damages 

More often than not, the person or entity that caused your injury will have a policy of insurance in place for this very reason: to cover the damages if their conduct causes an injury.  This can range from homeowner's insurance which can cover damages from a person who is injured on the property to liability insurance which will cover damages if the person or entity's conduct caused your injury.  You should not hesitate to investigate and pursue a person or entity if you think their conduct may have caused your injury because it is likely they will have insurance in place to cover your damages.

This Is Why People Buy Insurance

accident victim reviewing his insurance policy

And, this is the very reason you should not feel guilty about pursuing a potential personal injury claim if you think you might have one, because the damages will more often be paid by an insurance company not the person or entity that caused your injury.  You may be hesitant, if the accident occurred at a friend or acquaintance's property, or at work, to bring a lawsuit to recover your damages.  But, in reality you will be going up against the insurance company responsible for paying your claim, not your friend, neighbor, or boss.

That is the very reason people buy insurance and pay premiums—so their insurance company will pay for damages they cause if they get in a car accident or have a friend or employee suffer an injury on their premises.  However, many policy-holders are often surprised to see how hard their own insurance company will go to deny a legitimate claim.

Often the Insurance Company Will Try to Deny the Claim

Simply because an insurance company is obligated to pay for damages caused by the insured, does not mean it will be an easy battle to win.  Insurance companies are in the business of earning profit for their shareholders, so they have incentive to collect as many premiums as possible and pay as little as possible on claims.  Many of our clients are shocked to discover the lengths their own insurance company will go to to avoid paying a legitimate claim.

The insurance company may try to point to your conduct and make you feel like the accident was your fault.  Or, they may try to uncover evidence or get expert opinions to show the accident did not happen the way you say it did.  Even if they do not dispute the cause of the accident, the insurance company may try to claim your injuries were not caused by the accident.  Even if they do concede your injuries were caused by the accident, they will likely try to prove your injuries are not as bad or as debilitating as you claim.  There are many, many ways an insurance company will try to fight you on a personal injury claim.

Why You Need a Personal Injury Attorney

The insurance company will often try to benefit from making you feel like you were responsible so they can pay less on your claim.  And, if you are not familiar with handling insurance claims, it is very likely you will fall into one of the many traps the insurance company may try to set for you and this will limit your ability to recover entirely or in full.  Handling a personal injury claim by yourself, without the guidance of an experience personal injury attorney is a risk not worth taking.  You should always seek the advice of a personal injury attorney after you have been in an accident to see if you have rights and can recover your damages from an insurance company.  

At Taylor, Warren, Weidner & Hancock, we handle most personal injury cases on a contingency basis.  Meaning, you do not pay us anything until the insurance company responsible for your damages pays you.  We also never charge for an initial consultations to meet with you, learn about the accident, and explain your rights.  There is simply no down-side to contacting our office for help with a personal injury, particularly when you stand to lose so much if you handle the claim on your own and make a misstep.  If you've been injured and you believe someone else may be responsible for your injury, please contact us.

Types of Personal Injury Claims We Handle

These are the common types of personal injuries we see and handle:

Car Accidents
Slip and Fall Accidents
Accidents Involving Products
Accidents Caused by Defective Products or Failure to Warn

Free Consultation

We never charge any fee or cost for an initial consultation to explain your rights. If you’ve been injured in a car accident or have question about an insurance claim, contact us.

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