Filing a Cedar Rapids personal injury claim: Check these surprising facts

Following a fall accident or an on-road mishap in Cedar Rapids, you are likely to have many questions on your mind. Should you file a personal injury lawsuit? How should you start? How much is your claim worth? What should be the mistakes you should avoid? Your best bet is to call a Cedar Rapids personal injury lawyer for consultation, and before you make the next move, here are some surprising facts you need to know about. 

1. You don’t have to pay the personal injury lawyer for a consultation session. Most law firms in Iowa don’t charge anything to evaluate claims. You can even talk to the attorney on the phone and discuss the essential facts of your case. The idea is to understand whether you have a valid personal injury claim and what you can expect from the process. 
2. You may have to file an insurance claim first. When there is insurance involved, you cannot just directly sue the at-fault party immediately. You are required to file a claim with their insurer and negotiate a settlement. 
3. You have limited time to file a personal injury lawsuit. Iowa has a statute of limitations, which is a law that sets the deadline for filing civil lawsuits related to an accident. If you want to file a personal injury lawsuit, you will have to do that within two years from the date of the accident. 
4. Your lawyer won’t charge an hourly rate. Victims are often surprised to know that personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee. The fee is not a retainer fee or an hourly rate but a part of the settlement, which is payable only when the client recovers money from the other party or their insurer. 
5. You can avoid talking to the insurance company by hiring an attorney. Considering insurance companies are known to use tactics, it is common for people to feel intimidated discussing settlements. Once you hire a personal injury lawyer, you don’t have to deal with the claims adjuster directly, as the lawyer will initiate the negotiation process. 

You have to work on your case as soon as possible, and because you are dealing with injuries and other things at once, it is best to have an attorney on your side immediately. Hiring a personal injury lawyer early allows them the time to gather evidence and find more details about the mishap. Check online to find top law firms!