I’m not sure if I should contact the lawyer, because I don’t even know whether I have a case. What should I do?

Answer: In some situations, such as an automobile accident, it will be rather obvious from the very beginning that you should contact a lawyer. In others, it may not be so clear to you. Having said that, if you have been injured, calling a lawyer right away is the most important thing that you can do. When you call Rogich & Richardson, we can gather all of the available information and provide you with a straightforward and honest assessment of your case. Waiting to call an attorney, could actually do harm to your case. The only bad question is a question that is never asked.

I’m afraid people will think that I am one of these people who is law-suit crazy if I contact an attorney. What should I do?

Answer: Call an attorney. Not every claim can be filed as a lawsuit. If a lawsuit is necessary, you should speak with an attorney who can tell you what your legal rights are, someone who can tell you exactly what you are giving up by forgoing a lawsuit or a legal claim. The most important thing you need to do is make an informed decision. You can only do that by speaking with experienced attorneys who are familiar with all of the nuances.

What is the monetary value of my claim?

Answer: This is probably the most frequently asked question. In a personal injury occurrence, depending upon the nature and extent of your injury, you may be entitled to recover for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, disability and/or disfigurement. If you had a prior medical condition that was aggravated by an accident or occurrence you may be entitled to the extent that condition was aggravated by an accident. If the accident involves the death and loss of a loved one, the surviving family members are also entitled to recover for elements of damage that they have legally lost as a result of the unfortunate tragedy. In a case of nursing home abuse or neglect, the legally recoverable damages can be different as well. What’s important is that you speak with an attorney who is familiar with prosecuting cases like yours to maximize your potential legal recovery.

When will my case settle?

Answer: This is a question that no experienced attorney can honestly guarantee. Every case is different. Many cases do not settle because the insurance company may have simply misevaluated your case or simply does not want to settle your case. Often times in injury cases, a skilled attorney will not know the value of your claim until your doctors can ascertain with some semblance of medical certainty what your medical condition will likely be for the rest of your life. That takes time. What’s most important is that you have an attorney who has the requisite skills to win your case if there is a court battle at trial. Our philosophy is that the only way a case will settle is to prepare and work on your case as if it will be tried before a jury of your peers. The results at Rogich & Richardson speak for themselves.

Since my accident, insurance adjusters have been contacting me, asking to discuss my case and my injuries. Is it okay to talk to them?

Answer: This is a frequent mistake made by those who feel that it’s not necessary to hire an attorney. The job of an insurance adjuster is to minimize the value of your claim, even if it means rendering your claim worthless. At Rogich & Richardson, we have seen many people who have dealt directly with the insurance company for months, only to find out that they have sabotaged their own claim. There have been situations where insurance adjusters have successfully convinced a personal injury victim that he does not need an attorney because the case is so straight-forward. Unfortunately, the victim later finds out that he or he/she has severely compromised the value of the claim.

What is a statute of limitations and how does it affect my case?

Answer: A statue of limitations is simply a law that the legislature has passed which limits the time in which you can file a lawsuit. If the applicable statute of limitation expires before a lawsuit is filed, you are forever barred from bringing suit.

What is the statute of limitations for my case?

Answer: There are probably hundreds of statutes of limitations. In some cases, the statute of limitations is as long as two years. A slightly different case may have a statute of limitations as short as six months. It would be a mistake for a non-lawyer to attempt to determine the statute of limitations on his/her own case. That is why you should contact a lawyer as quickly as possible.

How do you determine your attorneys’ fees in a case like mine?

Answer: Rogich & Richardson operates its business on a contingency fee basis. With a contingency fee, we are entitled to a 1/3rd attorneys’ fee from any settlement or judgment that we recover for you. With workman’s compensation claims, the contingency fee is limited to twenty percent of the recovery. In cases involving medical malpractice, the law limits the attorneys’ fees to 1/3rd of the first $150,000; ¼ or the next $850,000; and 1/5th of anything over a $1,000,000 recovered.