Injuries happen in just about any situation you can think of, but it might surprise you that the number of personal injury claims being made has skyrocketed in recent years. Many people who have picked up injuries have grown wise to the fact that, if they were caused by someone else through incidents as wide-ranging as road traffic accidents and picking up an injury through using faulty equipment at work, they may be entitled to make such a claim.
At a time when people are more conscious of their own health and safety than ever before, some often fear being injured in an accident of any kind, and worry about what will happen afterwards in terms of their health, finances and, in some cases, future job prospects. This is reflected in the growth in the number of personal injury claims, which in the past few years has moved over the 1,200 mark, with similar claims for specific injuries such as whiplash numbering much, much more. While the number itself might not seem too big, it jumped by nearly a third to that level in 2008 compared to around 900 in 2006, which points at a wider trend.
There are several reasons behind this astronomical rise in personal injury claims. Perhaps the main reason is the rise of law firms specialising in claims of that nature. Before the likes of First4Lawyers came onto the scene, many people who suffered injuries in accidents caused by other parties had to try their luck with non-specialist legal firms whose knowledge of law relating to personal injuries was limited if they were to make a claim for compensation.
The rise in specialist law firms has helped to make it easier for people who’ve been unfortunate enough to get injured in a serious accident to make a claim, and because the law firms seem to know their area inside-out, their clients stand a more realistic chance of winning compensation. While the fact that it’s now relatively easy to claim for compensation after an accident is seen as an incentive for people to do it, there are other factors which go some way to explaining why people go down this route when suffering from an accident-induced injury.
One possible reason is the lack of income which people experience while they’re injured. Most people who suffer injuries in accidents such as a broken limb or something which could last a lifetime such as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or an industrial disease may find it either difficult or impossible to continue working while injured. This may prompt them to leave their job as they have no other choice, and one consequence of that is losing vital income which makes day-to-day living a challenge.
This lack of disposable income at a time when people are struggling to cope with their illness or injury may be enough to persuade them to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer to see if they have a chance of making a successful claim for compensation. Having heard of successful cases similar to theirs through several media outlets, they may believe that winning compensation could ease their financial problems and give them the disposable income that they desire to make life less difficult.
Other reasons behind the growth include the current economic climate, where people fear that being injured could see them lose their jobs and as a result become permanently unemployable. This might sentence them to a life of poverty, and they may see a compensation claim as their only escape route. Also, some see compensation claims for personal injuries as a way of getting some sort of justice for what they’ve endured, while others might not be aware of any other route to coping financially with being injured.
People who believe they’ve suffered personal injuries who want to make a personal injury claim might want to take a few things into account before they know whether they’re eligible to do so. The most important thing is to prove that their injury was caused by someone else, whether it was directly like in an on-road collision or medical negligence, or perhaps indirectly through slipping on a wet floor without making contact with someone else, but not being informed of the risks involved in walking on such a surface.
Afterwards, they need to prove that the injury is serious enough for them to merit any compensation, which will most likely involve getting hold of medical records from a GP or doctor. Then, they need to get the representation of a lawyer of solicitor, and then they can begin to make a claim. The claims which are convincing due to compelling and correct evidence are the ones most likely to succeed, whereas ones which seem a little suspect are brushed aside.
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