Experienced And Proven Auburn-Opelika Personal Injury Lawyers
In legal terms, you have a personal injury claim if you can show that another person or party caused you physical or mental harm due to their negligence. To have a valid claim, you must generally show that the other party had an obligation to act with reasonable care but failed to do so, resulting in your injuries.
If you have a personal injury, it is time to work with our Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area personal injury attorneys at Glenda Mitchell Law Firm. Our attorneys negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, advocating for your right to maximum compensation. If necessary, they can take your claim to court and represent you in a trial. With our team, you have attorneys who have hundreds of five-star ratings online and who always make sure that your voice is heard.
Adding Up The Value Of An Auburn-Opelika Personal Injury Claim
To calculate the value of a claim accurately, we look at the total impact it has had on your life. Our Auburn-Opelika personal injury lawyers consider several factors to estimate a fair recovery, including:
- Medical compensation: Current hospital bills, surgeries and medications, as well as the estimated costs of future treatments, physical therapy or medical equipment.
- Lost wages: If you could not work because of your injury, you may collect the income you lost. If you cannot work at your previous job, we pursue loss of earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering: Noneconomic damages that compensate you for the physical and emotional pain or the loss of enjoyment of life.
An insurance company’s first settlement offer is not usually fair. Insurers have a reputation for offering settlements far below what you truly deserve. Before you accept any settlements, consult our Auburn-Opelika personal injury attorneys. They take meticulous care to pursue the full value of the claim, accounting for every dollar of your loss.
How Do You Know If You Have A Personal Injury Claim?
Not every accident leads to a personal injury claim in Alabama. You must prove that another person, business or organization caused your injuries through negligent or wrongful conduct. You must also show that you suffered losses because of the injury.
A personal injury claim often comes down to who was responsible for the accident. You generally must show that the other party owed you a duty of care and failed to act reasonably. For example, a distracted driver may cause a crash. A property owner may also be responsible for failing to fix a dangerous condition. To establish liability, your case generally must show:
- The other party owed you a duty of care.
- The other party failed to meet that duty.
- That failure caused your accident or injuries.
- You suffered physical, emotional or financial harm.
However, an injury by itself does not establish fault. You need evidence that shows what happened and how the other party’s conduct led to your injuries. This evidence may include police reports, medical records, photographs, witness statements and video footage.
The harm caused by your injury is another important part of your claim. This can include both financial losses as well as the physical or emotional impact the accident has on you. Depending on your case, you may seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
Keeping track of your losses can help support your claim. Keep your medical bills, treatment records, pay records and other paperwork related to the injury. This documentation can help show what you have lost so far and whether you may face additional losses.
Your own actions may also affect your claim. Alabama strictly enforces a pure contributory negligence rule. If you are found to be even 1% at fault for your injury, you are completely barred from recovering any damages. This makes it especially important to understand how fault may be assigned in your case.
We Come To You! Free Consultation!
Please call 334-604-7927 or email to schedule a free consultation with the team at our Opelika law office. We will come to you to meet in person about your personal injury case. That includes home and hospital visits. When appropriate, we can also conduct meetings by phone or videoconference. Our clients rarely need to visit our law office in person, because we want to make this process as convenient as possible.
About Our Opelika Personal Injury Law Office
Glenda Mitchell Law Firm‘s Opelika law office is located on Interstate Drive, between Corporate Park Drive and Enterprise Drive. The address is:
2480 Interstate Drive
Suite A
Opelika, AL 36801
Our law office is near the border between Opelika and Auburn, and easily accessible via Highway 29/Interstate 85. We are just southwest of Tiger Town Outdoor Shopping Center.
Tips For Your Meeting At Our Opelika Personal Injury Law Office
We recommend talking to us before giving a statement to an insurance agent. All too often, insurance agents are working to settle as soon as possible, and not necessarily with your long-term needs in mind. Statements you make may be used to deny your claim or minimize the value of your settlement.
By talking to us first, we will give you an accurate assessment of your claim and its value, including any long-term costs related to your injuries that might be overlooked. We want to make sure your settlement covers not only your current medical bills, lost wages and other costs, but any that may arise in the future. Serious injuries can take a long time to heal, and the costs often keep coming.
If you accept a quick settlement check from the insurance company, you may not be able to go back for more if the money runs out early. We are committed to preventing that from happening.
Our staff will let you know if you should have anything prepared for your first meeting with our Auburn-Opelika personal injury law office. You may want to proactively write down your version of the events that happened so you do not forget. Store any medical documentation in a folder that you can easily access. If you can, take photos of any injuries or property damage, and store them where they can be easily accessed too.
We recognize that this is a difficult situation and you may have never had to deal with a legal process before. Our personal injury law office serves people in Opelika, Auburn, Lee County and all of Alabama, and you can count on us to be here for you and guide you through it.