South Dakota Personal Injury Lawyers and Firms

What Types of Injury Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help With?

Personal injury law firms handle a huge variety of injury types and causes. If you have suffered physical, mental, or emotional harm due to someone else’s negligence, recklessness or wrongdoing, a personal injury lawyer will talk you through your options for compensation. From traffic accidents, slips, trips and falls to animal bites and injuries caused by defective products or premises, it’s important to get the right legal advice as soon as possible.

If you have suffered a workplace accident, some personal injury lawyers specialize in workers’ compensation claims to help you get justice for your pain and distress. If you develop a preventable disease due to your working conditions, such as mesothelioma, you should also be able to make a personal injury claim.

And, should the very worst happen, personal injury attorneys also deal with catastrophic injury cases and wrongful death.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Many personal injury law firms work on a contingency fee basis - more commonly known as no win, no fee. In this instance, you will pay nothing if your case is not successful; if it is, your attorney will take a portion of your compensation settlement as their fee.

If your personal injury attorney does not work on a contingency basis, it can still be more affordable than you think to start a personal injury claim. Ask the law firms on your shortlist for full details of how they charge so that you can make the right decision for your situation.

Tips for Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Do your research!

There are thousands of personal injury law firms in the United States.

Random internet searches will bring up plenty of personal injury attorneys, but this scattergun approach tells you very little about the quality of the attorneys you find.

A better option is to use our specialized legal directory. Our State Bar Attorneys directory lists hundreds of personal injury lawyers - and it’s easy to narrow down your search for personal injury lawyers in your state who specialize in your type of injury.

You can also read reviews right here in the State Bar Attorneys directory, to get a feel for which are the most trusted personal injury lawyers near you.

Once you have a short-list, consider each law firm’s experience in your type of claim. Look for details of their recent compensation verdicts and settlements and get a feel for how client-focused they are.

Most personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation - attend this with all the details of your claim to hand and be ready to ask questions about the attorney’s fees and about how you will be kept informed of your claim’s progress.

It’s advisable to have a free consultation with several personal injury lawyers near you before choosing the one who feels like the best fit for your circumstances.

FAQ on Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

1 - What exactly can I claim compensation for?

Your personal injury claim will cover two main things: firstly, the pain and suffering caused by the injury itself, including emotional and psychological distress, medical costs, and the costs of any ongoing treatment or care required. Secondly, you can often claim compensation for how the injury has affected your wider life, such as the impact on your social life and any past or future loss of earnings. Your personal injury attorney will ensure that your claim covers everything you are entitled to.

2 - Do I really need a personal injury attorney? Can’t I just make the claim myself?

You could, often, make the claim yourself. But personal injury is a notoriously difficult field of law and insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid paying a claim. Having a trusted personal injury attorney representing you will make it much more likely that you will win compensation - and they can also take the stress and strain away from you at what is already likely to be a difficult time in your life. 

3 - Is there a time limit on personal injury claims?

Yes. The most common time limit is three years from the date of the injury - so you must begin your claim within that period. However, in some states and for some types of injury, the statute of limitations can range from one year to six years, so it’s vital that you get expert legal advice as soon as possible.