Frequently Asked Questions

If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. You should also gather as much information about the accident as possible, including the contact information of any witnesses and a police report if applicable. If you believe that someone else's actions caused your injury, you may want to consider contacting Mazzaferro Law for advice at

401-335-0078

The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim varies by state. In Rhode Island, the statute of limitations is three years from the date of the injury. However, it is important to note that this deadline can be shorter in certain circumstances, so it is best to consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an injury occurs.

The personal injury legal process can vary depending on the specifics of your case. However, common steps may include gathering and reviewing evidence, negotiating with insurance companies, and representing you in court if necessary. It is important to have an experienced personal injury lawyer by your side to guide you through the process and advocate on your behalf.

If the other party denies responsibility for your injuries, it may be necessary to take legal action to seek compensation. As a experienced personal injury lawyer Ed Mazzaferro, will be able to evaluate your case and advise you on the best course of action.

The first question many people ask is whether they must go to court after being involved in an auto accident. The process of recovering from an accident is often hard, and the thought of defending cases in court often deters people from getting the help they need. Knowing when you have to go to court is helpful and below we will touch upon everything you need to know about going to court after a car accident.

The good news is most car accident lawsuits do not go all the way to court. Most cases typically follow a pattern. First, the client will seek out the services of the best car accident lawyer they can find. Usually, the attorney and the client meet for a cost-free, no-commitment consultation. If they agree to work with one another, the attorney will start collecting evidence about the client's case.

Next, the lawyer will send a demand to the other party's insurance company. If the insurance company responds with a settlement offer, the attorney will review it and the client can either accept the offer or decline it. At this time, if the parties are close to resolving the case, informal settlement discussions will occur. If the case does not settle, the lawyer will file a lawsuit with the court. This starts the litigation phase of the process. Neither side wants to go to court, as this prolongs the process. As such, your lawyer will do their best to negotiate a good settlement early on.

There are several instances in which you will need to go to court after a car accident. For example, if the two sides fail to settle, a court date will be set. When that happens, you will need to go to court. Additionally, if the other driver does not have insurance, we may need to take them to court to force a payment.

If you find yourself in court, there a several things to expect. The attorneys will first select an impartial jury The lawyers from each side will present their legal arguments. They will present their evidence and try to prove the other side was at fault for the accident. After all the evidence, the lawyers will issue their closing statements. Then, the jury will leave to deliberate amongst themselves. Jury deliberations may end in a few hours, but they can also take days.

Once the jury reaches a consensus, everyone will be called back to the court. The judge will then read the jury's decision and produce a verdict. If you win your case, the other party will have to pay you the amount of money listed in the judge's verdict.

The damages that you could receive for your slip and fall accident vary and depend on several factors. These factors include the severity of your injuries and the extent of your physical pain. When determining the value of your slip and fall case, you should also make sure to consider your future losses and ongoing medical care. Fair settlement offers can be difficult to come by on your own, but your attorney could help you pursue a fair resolution. Below are some items which are considered when determining your settlement value.

- Medical Expenses

Medical bills are a central issue in slip and fall accident cases. You could recoup both immediate and future medical care expenses following a slip and fall injury. This could include the cost of treatment like surgical procedures, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, or emergency room visits.

- Pain and Suffering

Slip and fall injuries are often painful. If you have suffered significant pain due to a fall, you might be entitled to financial compensation. Your pain and suffering is a non-economic damage that does not come with an exact dollar amount. An experienced lawyer can establish a value to this loss and help you secure fair compensation for your suffering.

- Property Damage

While physical injuries form the basis of a personal injury case, there are other types of losses that may warrant compensation. One common example is property damage.

While property damage claims are more common in car accident cases, they could be a part of a slip and fall accident, as well. You could recover financial compensation for any property that gets damaged or destroyed during a fall. Some examples of property damage claims in slip and fall cases include damaged watches, laptops, and phones.

- Lost Wages

Many people cannot work in the aftermath of a slip and fall accident. Without an income, regular living expenses could devastate a family. This is especially true if you are also facing unexpected medical bills.

A personal injury case could result in compensation for those lost wages. In addition to replacing the wages you missed out on immediately after the accident, you could also seek future lost wages, as well. If you cannot return to work or make the same amount of money after a fall, your settlement should account for this.

- Emotional Distress

Emotional distress – which is sometimes referred to as mental anguish – is compensation for the emotional strain that follows an injury. Much like with pain and suffering, emotional distress compensation can be challenging to calculate. Your attorney could help place a value on the emotional distress you suffered.

After a slip and fall accident, a person may be left injured and wondering what to do. When a fall and injuries are due to a property owner’s negligence, the injured person has a right to seek compensation for his/her medical bills and other losses. Unfortunately, the property owner and its insurance company may dispute your claim or at least try to pay you less than you deserve. As such, it is important to take the following steps to maximize your recovery.

The first thing you should do is seek medical treatment without delay. In addition to treating your injuries, a doctor’s examination will document the fact that you were hurt in the slip-and-fall accident, which will be primary evidence if you have a claim. It is important to follow your doctor’s orders for treatment. If you do not obtain treatment as ordered, the opposing side in a claim may argue that you were not hurt.

Next, it is important to report the accident. It does not matter where you fell, make sure management knows of your accident and injury. Request a copy of an accident report. If police were summoned, ask how to get a copy of that report.

In addition to reporting the incident, you should also take photographs. Take photos that depict the cause of your accident. Take wide shots of the area that contains the hazard. Also, take photographs depicting that no warning signs were present. If you slipped and fell because of a wet and/or slippery floor, take a photo before the area is cleaned. Additionally, take photos of your bruises, bandages, cast, neck brace and other signs of your injury.

You should also maintain a case file. In this regard, you should save all documents connected to your case, including medical bills, records of other accident-related expenses, correspondence with insurance companies and any records that document absences from work resulting in lost income. Write down what happened that day leading up to your accident. If you were out shopping before you fell, write down where you went and what you ate or drank and how your accident happened.

Do not accept or assign blame. Establishing fault in a slip-and-fall accident requires an investigation. For this reason, you should neither assign nor accept blame for the accident until the case has been thoroughly reviewed by professionals.

Refrain from giving any statements to the property owner’s insurance company until you have talked with your attorney. Do not sign anything from the property owner or any insurance company.

Finally, you should meet with an experienced slip and fall attorney. An attorney can provide invaluable experience and assistance in proving your case.

The damages that you could receive for your bicycle accident vary and depend on several factors. These factors include the severity of your injuries and the extent of your physical pain. When determining the value of your bicycle accident case, you should also make sure to consider your future losses and ongoing medical care. Fair settlement offers can be difficult to come by on your own, but your attorney could help you pursue a fair resolution. Below are some items which are considered when determining your settlement value.

- Medical Expenses

Medical bills are a central issue in bicycle accident cases. You could recoup both immediate and future medical care expenses following an injury caused by a bicycle accident. This could include the cost of treatment like surgical procedures, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, or emergency room visits.

- Pain and suffering

Injuries from a bicycle accident are often painful. If you have suffered significant pain due to a crash, you might be entitled to financial compensation. Your pain and suffering is a non-economic damage that does not come with an exact dollar amount. An experienced lawyer can establish a value to this loss and help you secure fair compensation for your suffering.

- Property Damage

While physical injuries form the basis of a personal injury case, there are other types of losses that may warrant compensation. One common example is property damage.

You could recover financial compensation for any property that gets damaged or destroyed during the accident. Some examples of property damage claims in a bicycle accident case include items you may have been carrying such as damaged watches, laptops, and phones as well the bike itself.

- Lost Wages

Many people cannot work in the aftermath of a bicycle accident. Without an income, regular living expenses could devastate a family. This is especially true if you are also facing unexpected medical bills. A personal injury case could result in compensation for those lost wages.In addition to replacing the wages you missed out on immediately after the accident, you could also seek future lost wages, as well. If you cannot return to work or make the same amount of money after a fall, your settlement should account for this.

- Emotional Distress

Emotional distress – which is sometimes referred to as mental anguish – is compensation for the emotional strain that follows an injury. Much like with pain and suffering damages, emotional distress compensation can be challenging to calculate. Your attorney could help place a value on the emotional distress you suffered.

Car insurance is mandatory in most states, but that does not mean the person who is at fault has enough insurance to cover the damages they caused. Another type of accident where the lack of insurance may be a problem is a hit and run as you may not be able to identify the driver or the car. If you are in such a situation, you must turn to your insurer to cover your damages. However, this is only possible if you are properly insured.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage, commonly referred to as UIM, is an additional coverage that you can purchase from your insurance company. This is a coverage offered by insurance companies to protect you when you get involved in a car accident, and the other party does not have car insurance and is found to be responsible for the accident.

Alternatively, underinsured motorist coverage, covers you for damages sustained in an accident when the other driver has an insurance policy, but it’s not enough to cover your injuries, damages and any other losses arising from the accident. This coverage covers the difference between the other party’s coverage and the total losses up to the limits you purchased.

Furthermore, you can sue the other driver, but it does not mean you will ever get financial compensation. It is an unfortunate fact that many car owners who do not have car insurance or have the bare minimum, do not have it because they cannot afford it. This often means that they are not in a financial position to pay for the damage on your vehicle and medical costs associated with an accidet. You may sue them and get a court judgment entitling you to compensation by the uninsured driver but it is very unlikely that you will ever receive any compensation.