“Personal Injury” means an injury to your body being of a physical and/or psychological nature. Apart from the issue of pain and suffering as a result of the injury, most people experience financial stress as a result of the impact on their lives generally and specifically on their ability to earn their income and/or remain employed. There are broadly three types of personal injury accident categories.
Road Accidents
Strict limits apply regarding the time you have to make a claim. We stress it is important to seek medical attention immediately followed by legal advice as soon as possible. Because of the strict time limits for notification of a possible claim, we stress that action is required as soon as possible following the accident. Not all cases give rise to a common law claim, there are legislative restrictions that you need to be made aware of, however if you have a serious injury you should consult us to find out your legal common law rights.
Work Accidents
Most work accidents are handled and covered by the employers’ WorkCover insurer. In some cases, a common law claim for damages where the WorkCover assessment is not accepted by you, is available. In order to assess whether you should make a common law claim, you should consult us for an opinion on the merits. Once again, time limits apply and we stress that you should consult a solicitor early in the process.
Other types of Personal Injuries
There are a variety of cases other than road or work injuries for which you may be entitled to claim damages, compensation or financial assistance.
As a general rule you should always seek medical attention immediately. Time limits apply in all cases where a claim is to be made. You are best advised to consult us to find out your rights and obtain an opinion as to the strength of your case as early as possible. In all cases a genuine attempt to settle a claim should be made to avoid delays and to avoid any unnecessary expenditure of costs. We can assist you in regard to making a decision as to whether or not a claim is viable. Naturally, in cases where there are complex facts and difficult injuries, advice as to liability and quantum takes some time. In such cases the process may need to rely on unfolding facts and information. Once again time limits for claiming damages apply. Contact us as soon as possible to avoid having your claim barred because you are out of time.