Kocian Law Group, Personal Injury Lawyers You Can Trust

Connecticut lawyers at a personal injury law firm

Most people don’t think about personal injury law until the worst happens. After an accident, victims often face mountains of medical bills and are forced to take time off work. Add pain and emotional distress to the mix, and there’s simply no denying it: Accidents can put an individual’s entire life and livelihood in danger.

In Connecticut, people who are injured in accidents caused by someone else’s recklessness may be entitled to compensation. If that sounds like you, talking with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible is essential.

Personal injury lawyers fight on behalf of accident victims to help them obtain compensation for their losses. This money can account for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. But securing full and fair compensation isn’t easy. Insurance companies work hard to minimize their payouts to accident victims, often by taking advantage of their vulnerability during their darkest hours.

Not sure if you need a personal injury lawyer? Start by learning about what personal injury attorneys do by reading below. You can also schedule a free consultation with one of the experienced attorneys at Kocian Law Group. We’ll listen to your story, discuss your legal options, and explain how we can help with your specific case.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury is an area of the law that allows people who are harmed in accidents caused by someone else to claim compensation for their losses. Unlike criminal law, personal injury law is a civil action. Where the punishment for a criminal case might be jail time, the penalty in civil claims comes from financial awards.

Proving negligence is key in any personal injury claim. We’re all expected to act in a manner that keeps others safe from harm. Motorists are expected to drive in a reasonable way. Property owners are expected to keep their premises in good condition and correct any hazards promptly. When people fail in these duties, they may be considered negligent.

When a negligent act harms someone, the injured individual can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. To receive compensation, the victim must be able to show that:

The at-fault party had a duty to act safely around the injured person.
The duty was breached by the reckless actions (or inactions) of the responsible party.
Injuries occurred directly as a result of that breach.
The injured person suffered damages as a result.

When proven effective, the at-fault party may be ordered to pay compensation for the victim’s losses.

Unique Ways A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You

Obtaining compensation in most personal injury claims will involve communicating with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Although claimants are not obligated to hire an attorney, there are particular ways that a personal injury lawyer can be a valuable asset during the process.

Here’s what you need to know about personal injury cases:

The insurance company doesn’t want to pay you: Insurance companies care about their profits, not about ensuring that you have the full amount of compensation that you are entitled to. Their adjusters are trained in tactics meant to deny, reduce, and delay paying out claims. The accomplished personal injury attorneys at Kocian Law Group know what to expect from insurance companies and can get ahead of them by gathering the evidence needed to build a strong claim for you.
Experienced personal injury attorneys will take care of the details: You are only responsible for reporting your accident to the insurance company. Don’t agree to provide a recorded statement or sign any paperwork. All of that can be handled by your lawyer.
Law firms have access to experts: Whether you have an auto accident claim or medical malpractice case, most personal injury attorneys work with medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, financial planners, and vocational rehabilitation representatives who can testify to the severity of the accident and how it has impacted your life.
A personal injury attorney can determine liability: It’s not always simple to figure out who is at fault for an accident. In some cases, multiple parties may be to blame. That can mean dealing with different insurance companies, more than one policy, and potentially different deadlines to file personal injury claims. An attorney can examine the facts of your case and determine whether compensation could come from multiple sources.
Hiring a lawyer can protect you from being blamed unfairly: Connecticut law allows injured people to obtain compensation even if they are partly at fault for their accident. However, the amount they receive may be drastically reduced by the percentage of fault that they are assigned for the accident. You can still collect compensation as long as you are not found to be 51 percent or more at fault. Insurance companies will quickly try to push the blame on to you to minimize their payouts. A personal injury lawyer will fight so that you are assigned your fair share of fault.

Most personal injury claims can be settled out of court. When an agreement cannot be reached, a personal injury attorney can discuss the pros and cons of filing a lawsuit against the liable party(s). Kocian Law Group is staffed by an exceptional team of trial lawyers who will give you an honest assessment of your case.

Damages In A Connecticut Personal Injury Claim

There are generally two types of compensation available in personal injury claims.

Economic damages: This form of compensation has an actual dollar value. Examples include medical bills, prescription costs, rehabilitation expenses, lost income, lost earning capacity, and more.

Non-economic damages: These types of damages are for losses that cannot easily be quantified, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost enjoyment of life, permanent disability, disfigurement, and others.

In rare personal injury cases, a judge may also award punitive damages. These awards do not compensate the accident victim for his/her losses. Instead, they are meant to “punish” the defendant for particularly extreme acts of negligence and to discourage others from acting similarly.

How To Know When You Need An Injury Attorney

We understand that not all accidents will require the help of a lawyer. Consider hiring a personal injury attorney if:

The injuries are serious: Serious injuries are costly and potentially life-changing. An attorney can account for future costs and anticipated losses when calculating a demand for maximum compensation.
You miss work due to your injuries: Being forced out of work due to an injury can have a drastic effect on a victim’s household income. That’s especially true if the injured was the primary breadwinner and became permanently disabled. A personal injury attorney can determine how much income was lost and account for future losses due to lost earning capacity.
Liability is in question: Even when it is quite obvious that the other party was at fault, their lawyers will be quick to deny responsibility for the accident. A personal injury attorney will dispute these claims and push for the full best possible results in your case.
Settlement offers are unfair: Insurance companies are guaranteed to make the first settlement offer a low one. You can always come back with a counter-offer. A personal injury lawyer can represent you during these negotiations and advise you about whether an offer is fair.
Several parties are at fault: When liability is shared, a personal injury claim becomes even more complicated. Determining how much blame each party holds is challenging, but a lawyer will know how manage it. That way, you can focus on healing.

You’re smart to ask what a personal injury attorney can do for you. Ready to talk to one in person? Call or contact Kocian Law Group for a free consultation.

Kocian Law Group Will Fight To Make Things Right

If you’ve been injured in a Connecticut accident, obtaining compensation can be vital in order to restore your financial security again. Let Kocian Law Group help.

Our proven personal injury attorneys have the skills and experience necessary to craft a strong claim for you. For years, residents of Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, and Waterbury have trusted us to secure the best possible outcomes in their injury cases.

We know that getting around can be difficult when you’re recovering from an accident. Kocian Law Group was the first law firm in the nation to offer drive-thru services to clients. This makes the process of getting simple things done efficiently, such as signing a document or picking up a check. Take advantage of our top-quality legal services — you’ll be glad you did.

For more information or to arrange your free case evaluation, contact us today.