framingham personal injury attorneyWe are often asked and I’m sure a lot of people wonder what the process is when you contact a personal injury lawyer. Below, we will explain the process of what happens when you contact Mahaney & Pappas, LLP about an accident case.

If you have been injured in an accident, whether it be a concussion from a car accident injury, whiplash from a trucking accident, or a general slip and fall injury, you are probably incurring significant medical bills, missing time from work, and in a lot of pain. If the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation. You are most likely wondering what you can or need to do to get the compensation you deserve. Like most accident victims, you contact a lawyer.

Today, most people search for lawyers online or are referred to a lawyer through a family member or friend. Either way, make sure you do your homework on the attorney or attorneys you are contacting. If you were involved in an accident in Massachusetts, you want to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. There are many different types of lawyers. Some handle real estate transactions, divorces, criminal cases, etc... For your accident case, you want to consult with the right attorney for your case. That should be an experienced personal injury attorney. While I’m sure the real estate attorney or divorce attorney are great at what they do, but when it comes to accident cases, with the many complex legal issues involved in getting someone the compensation they deserve, you will be best served by hiring an experienced personal injury attorney.

The Process When You Contact Mahaney & Pappas, LLP

There is a multi-step process that is involved in contacting, meeting, and hiring a personal injury attorney. Below is an overview of the various steps in the process and a brief explanation.

The Initial Contact

When you contact Mahaney & Pappas, LLP about an accident case, someone on our legal team will conduct a brief intake over the phone. We will need to know the basics about the accident, including what type of accident you were involved in (i.e., car accident, pedestrian accident, dog bite, slip and fall, etc…); when the accident occurred; how it happened; and what your injuries are.

Next, we will schedule a time to meet in person to discuss your accident and injuries in more detail and the process of an accident claim or case. If you are unable to make it out to our office for the meeting, we are happy to make arrangements to come to your home or a mutually agreed upon location. We also offer hospital visits for those people who are seriously injured in an accident and are hospitalized due to their injuries.  

Our First Meeting

The first meeting with us is always free. At this initial meeting our lawyer(s) will conduct a more detailed interview about your accident and yourself. This will include obtaining more specifics about how the accident happened, any witnesses or evidence you have, your injuries, your background, any prior accidents or injuries you have suffered, etc… We will also review together any accident reports or incident reports you have and any photographs or other documentation related to the accident and your injuries. Having more details about the accident and your injuries allows us to better evaluate and value your case.

Once we have a thorough understanding about how the accident happened and what your injuries are, we will explain the injury claim process. We will describe what needs to be proven to recover financial compensation for your injuries and losses as well as discuss the roles of the different insurance companies involved in the accident. For example, in a motor vehicle accident, there will be an auto insurance company that will offer Personal Injury Protection Benefits, and another that will handle the bodily injury claim. A detailed explanation will be given about what will happen with your case from start to finish.

Lastly, we will answer any of your questions so that you have a full and complete understanding of the personal injury process. In our experience, the results of a personal injury claim are much better when our clients are educated and understand the process involved in obtaining the compensation they deserve.

The Hiring Process

If you are satisfied with our meeting and want to hire Mahaney & Pappas, LLP to represent you in your personal injury claim, there are a few documents that need to be signed.

framingham personal injury attorneyThe first is a Contingent Fee Agreement. Our office accepts personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis. That means that any legal fee we earn is contingent upon getting you money. The legal fee will be a percentage of the gross amount we are able to collect for you. This agreement will be reviewed together with you and must be signed in order to retain our office so we can begin working for you.

Another document that will need to be signed is a medical authorization. In Massachusetts, the laws prohibit a hospital or doctor from releasing your medical records or any information regarding medical care without a written authorization signed by you. The signed medical authorization will allow your doctors, physical therapists and any other medical provider to provide your medical records and medical bills to our office.

If you are missing time from work due to your injuries, we will also have you sign a salary and wage verification form. This form will allow us to obtain your wage information from your employer in order to later calculate and establish any lost earnings you suffered as a result of the accident.

Once the Agreement and other documents are signed retaining us as your injury attorneys we will move on to the next step in the injury claim process and begin taking action on your case.

Speak With an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you have been hurt in an accident in Massachusetts you most likely have numerous questions. Speaking with an experienced personal injury lawyer will get you the answers to your questions, information about accident cases and the advice you need to take the appropriate and necessary legal action.

We offer complementary initial meetings where we will review your case, answer your questions, and explain your rights and legal options. To speak with someone on our legal team or to schedule your meeting, please call (508) 879-3500 or contact us online. 


framingham personal injury attorney

Don’t forget, for answers to many questions and great information on how to get the best possible settlement in your accident case, get a copy of our book: You Were in a Car Accident: How to Maximize Your Settlement. This book will provide you with information to help maximize your accident settlement. Best of all, it’s free

 

Charles S. Pappas
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Massachusetts injury lawyer & workers' compensation attorney serving accident victims in Webster & Framingham.