We recommend to all of our clients that they keep some type of journal documenting what they go through with the treatment of and recovery from their injuries. Any journal prepared by our client for communicating with us can usually be protected by the attorney/client privilege. The reason we want our clients to keep a journal is that oftentimes, the recovery process can take weeks, months, or even years. During that period of time, people typically do not remember specifically how they felt or what they were going through three, six, twelve or twenty-four months ago. It is very important that we have those notes to look back at to have a clear understanding of what our client has been through in the treatment and recovery process, the pain, the mental anguish that they suffered, the impairment that they endured. All of this is compensable, meaning it can be compensated. By having the journal we are able to then communicate clearly and accurately to the defense or even the jury what all our client has been through.
We also want to know about our client’s appointments, visits and how they felt at that time so that we can compare it with what the medical records say. We want to be sure to catch every doctor that they have seen and every appointment that they have been to.1 pa
Do Most Personal Injury Cases Go To Trial Or Reach A Settlement?
Most cases do reach a settlement and the ones that go to trial are typically do so because of one of two reasons. The parties just cannot see eye to eye on the value of the case, or the insurance company knows that the lawyer is not very skilled at trial or does not have their case ready to go to trial. At Parker Law Firm we work every case up from day one as if it is going to trial. We do not consider there to be any other alternative than the trial. As a result of preparing the case for trial combined with the fact of having more than thirty years’ experience and having tried many cases, typically the insurance company will settle with us prior to going to trial for top value.
Insurance companies will often settle claims for another reason too. They will often settle the case because the attorney is not as competent or skilled as they should be and the insurance company knows they can settle the claim on the cheap. Pennies on the dollar so to speak. So you have two factors working in most settlement. They will settle the claim on the cheap if they think they can with an inexperienced or unprepared attorney, or they will ultimately settle for fair value because they know they run the risk of having to go to trial against a competent well-prepared lawyer that is not afraid to go to court. In order to obtain the very best result it is imperative that the case be worked up thoroughly and properly and by an aggressive, competent and skilled board certified personal injury attorney.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Area Car Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Bedford, Texas office directly at 817.440.3888 to schedule your free consultation. We help car accident victims throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington as well as all areas of Texas.