Personal Injury cases can often be very hard to understand. Many people who come into our office have never dealt with the legal system before. We have compiled a list of the most common questions people have when visiting our office. It is our goal to help people navigate the legal system and to make sure that their rights are being protected. Douglas R. Beam Lawyer | Melbourne FL (321) 723-6591

1. Personal Injury FAQ’s
By: Douglas R. Beam Attorney and Counselors at Law
If you’ve been injured, it’s important that you know your rights!

2. Personal Injury FAQ’s
When many people come to our firm for help, it is often their
first experience with the legal system. Many have no idea
how to even to start the process or what rights they have.
Because of this we have listed some of the questions we are
asked most frequently.
Please remember that these questions should be
considered as general information only.
This is not legal advice.

3. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. What should I do at the scene of a
car accident?

4. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. Call the police, and the paramedics if needed. If you
need medical treatment, get it as soon as possible.
If it is safe for you to do so, photograph the vehicles involved
in the accident and the general accident scene.
Try to make an accurate record of the road, weather, and
traffic conditions as soon as possible.
Your lawyer might find this helpful if he or she needs to do
an accident reconstruction. You should also write down
what you remember about the accident as soon as
possible.

5. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. A friend of mine was in an accident,
sued, and recovered a large amount of
money. I was in a similar accident. Does
that mean that I will also be able to get a
large amount of money?

6. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. That depends on what “damages” you suffer. Damages
can include things like medical expenses, lost wages, and
pain and suffering.
The person you want to sue may have done something
extremely wrong, but if you did not suffer any damages,
then you will not receive any compensation.

7. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. I was injured a while ago, and am
thinking of suing. I’m just not sure.
Should I talk to a lawyer now, or wait?

8. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. Talk to a lawyer now. In civil cases (like personal
injury), you only have a limited amount of time in which to
file your claim. If you wait too long, you may be prevented
from suing on that issue forever.
Also remember that as time goes on, it often gets harder for
your lawyer to gather the evidence that you may need to
win. Witnesses forget things, computer data are
lost, businesses destroy records under their records
management policies. Involve a lawyer early to ensure that
critical evidence is not lost.

9. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. I do not have a lot of extra
money. Will I be able to afford an
attorney?

10. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. Sometimes, like in personal injury cases, a
lawyer will be able to take your case on a
contingent fee basis. This means that the lawyer
will not be paid unless you receive compensation
for your injuries. If you do, then the lawyer will
receive a certain percentage.

11. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. How long will it be before I am
able to recover money to
compensate me for my injuries?

12. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. This is highly dependent on the facts
unique to your case. In some cases, we
can settle for the amount you want early.
In other cases, the case may have to go to
trial to seek appropriate compensation.

13. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. Who makes the decision whether
to settle or go to trial, me or my
lawyer?

14. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. You do. Your lawyer is ethically required to tell
you of any settlement offers that he or she
receives—and you decide whether you want to
accept.
Choose a lawyer who will offer good advice
during this process to help you understand what
course of action is in your best interest.

15. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. How do I choose the right attorney
to represent me?

16. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. You should look for an attorney who has a track record of
taking cases to trial. That is important even if your case
ultimately settles (as most cases do). Big companies,
especially insurance companies, know which lawyers are
willing to take cases all the way to trial for their clients.
People who are represented by an experienced trial lawyer
are more likely to be offered better settlements. Always ask
a prospective attorney how many cases he or she has tried
and how many cases he or she has tried recently.

17. Personal Injury FAQ’s
Q. I have been injured in some sort of
accident, and it is partly my fault, will
I be able to recover anything?

18. Personal Injury FAQ’s
A. Yes. In most cases, you can still get compensation even if
you were partly at fault in an accident. That is because
Florida is a “pure comparative negligence” state. What this
means is that the amount of money you will be awarded if
you win at trial is reduced by any percentage that may
deemed to be your fault, if any.
Here’s an example: You were involved in a car accident
and suffered $100,000 worth of damages. If the jury found
that that the accident was 75% your fault, and 25% the fault
of the other driver, then you would still be able to recover
$25,000 from that other driver.

19. Personal Injury Attorney
If you have any other question
about your personal injury case,
don’t hesitate to call or send us a
email through our website by
clicking here.

20. Personal Injury Attorney
Douglas R. Beam Attorneys & Counselors at Law
 25 West New Haven Ave.
 Suite C
 Melbourne, FL. 32901
 Phone: (321) 723-6591
 http://dougbeam.com