Sometimes when someone sustains a traumatic brain injury, the doctors don’t know the full extent of it for a while. If your loved one is suffering from a TBI, it could be months before you actually know everything, so should you contact a lawyer now or wait? In most cases, you should do it right away.
The Statute of Limitations
In every state, there’s a statute of limitations that dictates how long you have to file a case against the responsible party for the TBI. In Alabama, the statute is two years. In Florida, it’s four, and in Louisiana it’s only one year. If you wait too long, you could forfeit the right to file your claim and receive compensation. When you get a lawyer on the case right away, he or she is able to start working the case, investigating the details, and collecting evidence you’ll need to prove someone owes you or your loved one compensation. This process can often take time, so you’ll want to allow your lawyer as much time as possible.
Proper Evidence
There’s a lot of evidence you’ll want to collect to support your brain injury case. When you hire a lawyer at the very beginning, he or she can help you know what to hold on to. In most cases, you should take pictures at the scene of the accident, if that’s a possibility. You’ll also want to keep medical documents including doctor recommendations, prescriptions, and medical bills. If there were witnesses to your accident, you should take down their names and contact information so your lawyer or an investigator can talk to them.
An Advocate
Your lawyer is one of your best advocates. When insurance companies are trying to deal unfairly, you can turn it over to the lawyer. When the person or entity responsible for the injury is making false claims against you, you’ll have someone on your side. Having an advocate who understands the law to a great extent is always an enormous asset to your case.
Getting Started
When you or a loved one sustains a brain injury, the costs are going to start adding up. Aside from medical bills, you may have to compensate for lost wages, pain and suffering, and a wide variety of other expenses. It’s important you are able to receive the compensation you deserve from the responsible party.