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  • Types of Personal Injury Lawyers: When to File A Lawsuit

    Types of Personal Injury Lawyers: When to File A Lawsuit

    Personal injury is a relatively broadly used term that typically describes a certain type of lawyer or lawsuit.

    This article will help you understand what personal injury is, what a personal injury attorney does, the types of cases a personal injury lawyer handles, and when you should speak with an injury attorney.

    Our background in personal injury

    Ortwerth Law is a personal injury law firm in St. Louis, Missouri.

    We handle a wide range of personal injury practice areas like workers’ compensation, car accidents, and truck accidents.

    We have over 25 years of experience as personal injury attorneys and have won many awards and our cases and settlements have been featured in some of the most prominent lawyer publications in the country.

    Now, let’s discuss personal injury and the duties of a personal injury attorney.

    What is personal injury?

    Personal injury is a general term that can cover many different types of claims.

    In its most basic definition, personal injury refers to intentional or unintentional physical, emotional, or psychological harm caused by someone else’s actions.

    The term “personal injury” refers to any physical, emotional, or financial damage that is caused by a person’s negligence or an accident.

    Most common types of personal injury cases

    Car accident personal injury cases

    Car accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury cases.

    In these cases, someone else’s negligence resulted in an accident that caused a car crash or other type of collision.

    The car accident attorney must prove that another driver was negligent and then provide evidence regarding how this led to the client’s injuries including medical bills, lost wages from missed workdays, and potential bills that may arise in the future.

    Related: Car accident settlements in Missouri

    Truck accident personal injury cases

    Truck accidents involve a commercial truck driver’s negligence, which is when they do not maintain their vehicle in proper condition and then wreck it.

    In semi-truck accident cases, the truck accident attorney must show that the trucker was negligent by proving they didn’t keep up with maintenance or violated other rules of the road like speeding.

    Workers’ compensation personal injury case

    A workers’ compensation personal injury case is when an employee was injured on the job and filed a claim for restitution.

    The duty of the workers’ compensation attorney in this instance is to prove that their client was not at fault or negligent during the incident, which would deny them benefits under workers’ comp laws.

    In most workers’ comp cases, your attorney will be fighting your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance agency as they will, in most cases, do everything in their power to minizine your payout.

    Related: Most common workers’ compensation injuries and lawsuits

    Slip and fall personal injury cases

    Slip and fall lawsuits are usually filed by a plaintiff who was injured when they slipped and fell due to the negligence of another party.

    In these cases, the local personal injury attorney will have to prove that someone else’s carelessness caused their client’s injury while also showing how much money is being lost as a result of medical bills or missed workdays.

    Wrongful death personal injury cases

    These types of cases are filed by the surviving family members after someone’s death.

    Wrongful death lawsuits happen when negligence leads to a person’s injury or death, so these types of personal injury attorneys will have to prove that their client’s death was the direct (or in some cases indirect) result of an accident or negligence.

    Some of the most common types of wrongful death lawsuits include car accident death cases, medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuits, and nursing home abuse lawsuits.

    Medical malpractice personal injury cases

    Medical malpractice cases are usually filed by a plaintiff who was injured due to the negligence of another medical professional.

    Medical malpractice lawsuits are not exclusively lawsuits against doctors.

    These personal injury cases may also involve lawsuits against hospitals, dentists, pharmacies (or pharmacists), and even pharmaceutical companies.

    In these types of personal injury cases, the medical malpractice attorney will have to show that someone else’s carelessness caused their injuries and how much money is being lost as a result including potential wages from missed workdays or future earnings.

    Types of Personal Injury Attorneys

    When you are searching for a local personal injury attorney, you will likely find that most of them practice or have experience in a wide range of personal injury areas.

    Put simply, most personal injury attorneys will offer their services in all of the previously listed practice areas.

    However, that does not mean personal injury law firms don’t have certain areas in which they specialize.

    Ortwerth Law, for instance, has experience handling just about every type of personal injury lawsuit imaginable, but there are several areas of practice we frequently provide our legal services like car accidents, truck accidents, and workers’ compensation.

    How to find the best personal injury lawyer for your case

    The best way to find the best personal injury lawyer for your case is to reach out and ask them about their experience.

    Ask potential lawyers what types of cases they have handled in the past, what kind of results they’ve achieved, how many years they have been practicing law (experience often goes hand-in-hand with skill), and what sets them apart from other personal injury law firms.

    Most personal injury lawyers will offer a free consultation for potential clients to discuss their case at no cost, which should always be taken advantage of when looking for legal representation.

    Once you’ve narrowed down your options and found the perfect lawyer for your case, it’s time to start gathering evidence for your case.

    The best way to find the best personal injury lawyer for your case is to reach out and ask them about their experience. Ask potential lawyers what types of cases they have handled in the past, what kind of results they’ve achieved, how many years they have been practicing law (experience often goes hand

    Looking to speak to an injury attorney?

    Fill out the form below to schedule a free consultation with Craig


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    tim schmidtim schmid
    20:27 26 Jun 24
    If you need legal representation, Ortwerth LLC is who I recommend. Communication, compassion and professionalism...
    Renee MahnRenee Mahn
    21:55 06 Sep 23
    5 Stars Outstanding!I was always contacted and informed regarding my case. I did not have to go out of my way for anything. The process was very easy for me.Thank you
    Katlyne ThiesKatlyne Thies
    12:14 20 Sep 20
    I’m so grateful that Craig Ortwerth and his office took on my car accident case. Craig was so easy to work with and he quickly replied back to any questions or concerns I had and explained every step to me. I felt such relief knowing I was in good hands and I didn’t have to worry about dealing with the insurance company so I could focus on healing from my accident.
    Christie HessChristie Hess
    04:56 06 Jun 19
    Having Craig work on my case from beginning to end was the best decision I'd ever made! My case went on for 3 1/2 years and during that time i never had to worry about "bothering him or his staff with questions, or their patience in explaining what was going on or what I needed to do. They kept me and everyone involved informed and things went along smoothly! I hope to never have a case like this again, but if I do, there is absolutely NO doubt in my mind as to where I'd go and who I'd have to handle my case!!I highly recommend anyone to at least sit down for a consult. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!! Great Job Craig (& Marcie!!)
    Monica CrenshawMonica Crenshaw
    21:12 03 Jun 19
    Craig was great and did a fantastic job for me. He is very professional and knew how to do his job. Craig is a very friendly, compassionate and understanding person. He answered all my questions and called to see how I was doing. I would recommend Craig to everyone. In my book he is an outstanding attorney.
    D SCD SC
    23:43 26 Nov 18
    Brian McChesney is the BEST divorce lawyer I have ever experienced or come across. He goes out of his way to help, and has the best suggestive advice. I appreciate his integrity, valor, and honesty. I cant even begin to express my gratitude and thankfulness! Wonderful guy!-Laura
    Michael RussellMichael Russell
    02:50 24 Jul 18
    Craig was AWESOME to work with!! If I had a question he had no problem taking my call or returning a call if he was busy. I literally did nothing except sign papers. He did everything for me and made the process of my workmans composition settlement stress free!!! Give Craig a call, I believe he will make you a very happy client like me!!
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