Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Law
Our firm is prided on the belief that loyalty in a relationship between clients and attorneys is of the utmost importance. When clients come into our office with a problem, our relationship immediately evolves into a partnership. You—our client—immediately become part of our team. Together, we set goals for your case in order to achieve the best possible outcome. At the end of your case, we want you to feel closure because life does not stop when tragedy strikes.
Every client who enters into our office has one thing in common: each of them needs serious and effective legal representation. At the Krause & Kinsman Law Firm, our legal representation is driven by our passion for the people we represent. Every person has a story. Those stories need to be advocated by an attorney who can provide the highest quality legal care in a way that enhances the lives of clients and families. Our firm’s job is to improve the quality of life for our clients by focusing on a solution that is unique and persuasive to each and every one of our cases.
There are no upfront costs to the client. Our firm works on a contingency model, meaning we don’t get paid unless you get paid. We do not collect any money until we recover money damages at trial or settlement money on your behalf. When a client has been involved in a dangerous accident, or has been injured physically, emotionally, and financially, the last thing we want out clients to focus on is how they are going to get back on their feet if they are burdened by legal fees. We provide all litigation expenses, including fees for medical experts, accident reconstructionists, accountants, paying the court clerk for filing the lawsuit, and costs for obtaining exhibits and documents.
In short, yes. You can still receive compensation for an injury if you were at fault. However, the amount will be deducted based on your percentage of fault. Depending on the jurisdiction you may and likely will be able to recover even if you were partially at fault for your lawsuit.
In theory, the only people who actually know how much your case is worth are your peers—the jury. However, our firm is skilled in organizing and establishing a proper amount for the jury, and the defendants, to consider when determining how much to compensate you. We look at medical records, available insurance, lab reports, police reports, medical bills and many more documents to understand what the case is actually worth. Insurance adjusters certainly don’t know what the case is worth. However, after we get the proper documents we can estimate how much a given case is worth and we will formulate strategies to get the best compensation available for our clients.
We take in to account the types of damages, or compensation, you are entitled to. There are two main types of damages: economic and non-economic damages:
Economic damages include but are not limited to:
• Money to repair your car
• Money to pay past and future medical bills
• Household services that you could not do because of your injuries
Non-Economic damages include but are not limited to:
• Pain
• Humiliation
• Mental suffering and emotional distress
• Inconvenience
• Interference with normal activities
• Reputation damage
In the right case, we will also aggressively go after, we will also aggressively go after punitive damages. Punitive damages are damages that are given when the harm is extremely malicious, egregious and reckless.
Each case is unique. The amount of compensation available to each case is distinct from all others. Our firm works aggressively and effectively to make sure you are entitled to what you deserve.
When you first visit us for legal representation, you’ll provide the details related to your accident and injuries. Next, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation, interview witnesses, and assemble evidence. We’ll monitor your medical progress and get records and reports from the hospital and your doctors. Then, we wait for whatever amount of time it takes for you to fully recover; or, until you reach a plateau where your healing stops. This period of recovery can take six months to a year, or longer, depending on the severity of your injury.
Remember we are fighting for you to obtain the compensation and closure you deserve. The length of the case does not reflect on the case’s merits. We treat every case like it is our only case and we will work diligently to give you a result that is not only timely but economical.
From the first time a client leaves our office, we treat their case as if we are going to be giving the closing argument at trial. Our firm believes in a jury by your peers to decide the outcome of your case—there is no other body of decision-makers like a jury in the world. As a team, we work to devise a roadmap that is going to give you the best possible outcome with regards to your wants and needs. Our client’s input is the most important opinion we take into account when determining the route we take through the life of your case.
There are also cases where it is important for all parties to settle. That means we come to an agreement with the defense to compensate you without having to appear in front of a jury at trial. We take everything into consideration, including your opinion, to determine whether or not this is the best route to take in order to compensate you and help you find closure.
Remember, the insurance company employs the claims adjusters. They are professionals. It’s the insurance adjuster’s job to pay as little as possible in order to pay the insurance company’s profits. You are not on a level playing field. You have no idea of what a fair settlement would be, giving the adjuster an unfair advantage. The insurance company will want to record your statement by coming to your house or recording your phone call. The insurance adjuster wants to record your statement not to help you but to be able to use your words against you later. We recommend that you not give any statements until you have met with an attorney who can inform you of your legal rights.
Why choose lawyers who spend the majority of their time handling personal injury cases?
The law has become remarkably specialized. Just as you would not want to hire a person who does only oil changes to rebuild your car’s engine, you should not hire a lawyer who dabbles in personal injury law to handle your case. Because the law is constantly changing and requires a great deal of time to keep up with these changes, The Krause & Kinsman Law firm attorneys routinely attend continuing legal education seminars and read books and articles, to keep up with the latest developments in personal injury law, litigation, and trial practice.