Below are some of the most frequently heard questions over our 35 years of practicing Personal Injury Law.

Question:  How long will my case take?

Answer:  Every case is different.  The length of time from accident to recovery is dependant on many factors.  Generally once your medical treatment is complete and your wages are submitted it will take the insurance company approximately 30 to 45 days to evaluate your claim.  After the insurance company evaluates your claim  the negotiation period generally lasts up to two weeks. 

Question :  What is my case worth?

Answer:  Every case is different.  The value of your case is directly related to the type of accident, the type of injury, the type of treatment, the length of treatment and the amount of l and lost wages you have.  A Personal Injury Claim is made for your medical bills, lost wages, expenses, pain, suffering, mental anguish and inconvenience.  The medical bills, expenses and lost wages are set and thus the pain, suffering, mental anguish and inconvenience are  what is not certain.  By way of example take two cases.  First a rear-end collision that results in a broken rib and herniated disc.  These injuries will require significant treatment and time.  The pain, suffering, mental anguish and inconvenience associated with these injuries is understandably high.  Second, take a accident that occurred at a four way stop that resulted in a strained neck.  Treatment for this will be less and the pain, suffering, mental anguish and inconvenience will be less.  In addition, the liability may be questioned and this can effect the settlement amount.

Question:  Can I get a rental car?

Answer:  Yes.  There are several ways of getting a rental car if your car is undrivable after an accident.  First by agreement the at fault party's company will provide one to you via a rental company like Enterprise.  Second, your own coverage may allow for rental expenses.  You will need to check with your company for details and restrictions.  Third you can get your own rental company, keep the receipts and submit them through your Attorney for repayment as part of your economic damages.  Note that in every case you must seek to mitigate your damages.  This means that you can not rent an expensive vehicle or rent a car if your car is safe and drivable just because you don't like the way it looks. 

Question:  How much does it cost to hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Answer:  We can not speak for all personal injury lawyers.  At Williams & Williams, P.C., or standard fee is 1/3 of the total recovery.  We do not take a legal fee for recovering PIP monies.  We do not raise our fee if your case goes to court.  In fact our fee is never more than 1/3 of the total recovery.

Question:  Do I need to miss time from work? 

Answer:  In terms of your injury and treatment, the answer to this question depends on what your doctor tells you to do.  Taking time off from work is often part of a treatment regimen.  IF your doctor determines that you can not safely work without risking further injury, or hampering your recovery, he or she will likely tell you to take time off from work.  Of course, some people simply cannot afford to miss time from work, in these situations,  your lawyer will know how to deal with this fact.

                 In terms of your claim, there may be situations where it is necessary to miss some time from work to pursue your claim.  For example, if your claim requires a lawsuit, you will likely need to make several appearances during business hours at court, which, depending on your schedule, may force you to take time off from your work.  At Williams and Williams, we understand people are busy and we make every effort to schedule around our clients busy lives.