If you were hurt at the hands of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other resulting damages. To recover a payout, you’ll have to navigate the claims process. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about this process and about personal injury claims in general.  

3 Common Myths About Personal Injury Claims 

1. Using an Attorney Is Costly 

Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means their fee comes out of the final settlement or verdict. Since they have the knowledge, resources, and negotiation skills to secure sizable payouts—much larger than anything most plaintiffs can get on their own—hiring an attorney could pay for itself. 

2. Your Insurers Have Got You Covered

It’s reasonable to assume that insurance will cover the bulk of your expenses. If you were hurt in a car accident, for example, you might turn to your auto insurer for taking care of the resulting property damage and your health insurer for handling all medical bills. However, there’s no guarantee that your providers will pay for 100% of the associated costs. Additionally, medical bills and property repairs may not be the only damages you incur. By filing a personal injury claim, though, you can seek compensation for all the resulting damages, including indirect costs like lost wages and nonmonetary losses like mental anguish, loss of enjoyment in life, and pain and suffering. 

3. You Have Plenty of Time to File 

In the state of Nevada, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. That means if you attempt to go to court after two years has passed, the judge will likely dismiss the case. This may seem like a considerable amount of time, but it could pass fairly quickly, especially if you end up hospitalized. Some of the evidence you may need could be time-sensitive. As such, it’s best to call an attorney as soon as your condition stabilizes, so your legal team can start building the case. 

The compassionate team at Kidwell & Gallagher knows just how devastating unanticipated injuries can be. If you were hurt because of another party's negligence, let their personal injury attorneys help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Based in Elko, this firm has been serving clients throughout Nevada for more than 20 years. Instead of generalizing in a variety of practice areas, they focus solely on representing injured, ill, and disabled parties. To learn more about the kind of counsel they provide, visit their website. To request a consultation, call (775) 738-1000.