If you have experienced an injury on the job in California, you may be wondering whether you have a case against your employer or the party you feel is responsible for the negligence that led to your injury. You may have many questions about how to proceed and what steps to take next.
Here are a few tips that can help you as you consider whether to consult with an attorney about bringing a potential workplace injury suit against your employer or the party responsible for your personal injury. These ideas can give you some pointers as to steps you can take right now to begin building a potential case to give you material you may be able to supply your attorney if you decide to pursue a lawsuit.
Documentation
Documentation of your injury and the circumstances surrounding the incident is vital. This means you should try to obtain photographs regarding the incident to document the conditions that may have led to your injury. It also means keeping accurate records regarding any medical treatment, medical bills and interactions with insurance companies you may have had. All these documents can be important to an attorney in evaluating the status of your case, depending on where you are at in terms of a time frame following your injury.
You may also want to write down the specifics of how you are experiencing your injury and any losses you incur as a result. For example, if your injury causes you to miss days on the job and leads to lost wages, this information can be important in a potential lawsuit.
Consultation
It is a good idea to not wait before consulting with an attorney. This is because, depending on the nature of your injury and your case, different rules may apply in terms of the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is the time the law allows to lapse between when your injury occurred and when you file a case. Generally speaking for personal injury cases in California, this is two years. However, an attorney can help you determine the specifics surrounding your potential case. Insurance companies may also try to lowball your claim. Battling an insurance company can be difficult without the assistance of an experienced attorney.
If you have experienced a workplace injury or a personal injury in a situation in which someone’s negligence may have led to your injury, you can explore whether you have a case to be made against that person or entity. Often, a consultation with a qualified lawyer can help you determine whether you want to pursue a case in court.