How to File a Personal Injury Claim Against a Government Entity

With these week-long efforts to educate the public about wellness issues, the APHA aims to make America the "healthiest nation in one generation."

The theme of this year's Health Week, "Safety is NO Accident," encourages communities all over the country to focus especially on personal injury preparation and avoidance.

The broad topic of injury avoidance reminds us of many issues personal injury lawyers help clients deal with everyday. We've written about many of them here on the Ask Gordon Now Blog. As we know from our many blog entries, personal injuries can happen to anyone, anywhere and at anytime. Some specific safety issues the APHA wants to address with this year's program include:

Automobile-Related Personal Injuries

• One pedestrian is injured in a traffic crash every eight minutes.


• In 2008, nearly 20% of all vehicle crashes were caused by distracted driving.

• If you lose your job due to lost time at work because of your injury, you will not be able to then attribute the lost time to an accident that you did not report. So it is imperative to report any work injuries at the time of the accident.


• If you later on suffer from pain and want to consider seeing a personal injury attorney to find out if you have a case, the documentation from the accident will be necessary.


• Another consideration is if there is a serious safety violation that caused your injury it needs to be addressed so that no one else gets injured.

Besides reporting your work-related injury it is recommend that you look over any paperwork you may have signed for your employer. Make sure you have not signed anything that absolves your employer from any lawsuits related to workplace injuries. This is not a common practice but it is not unheard of so keeping good records is essential. A good personal injury attorney may still be able to assist you, especially if there is gross negligence on the part of your employer.

A personal injury lawyer should be willing to work on a contingency basis.

Remember, when you are looking for representation, you should only secure the services of a board certified personal injury attorney who will work on a contingency basis. This means that you should not have to pay any money upfront. Your lawyer's fees should be part of the settlement amount.

Every year a large number of people are seriously wounded or killed in automobile accidents. If by any chance you or your loved ones have suffered from a recent road accident it is important to get the help of a car accident attorney in Chicago to claim your own rights. It's a common tendency in many people to avoid the situation and take care of the entire matter with their own insurance coverage. But, they fail to realize that a car accident lawyer can actually help them recover their rights legally. Let's look at some of the most vital situations when you should consider hiring an accident attorney:

1. It mostly hinges on the harshness of the car accident you had undergone. A minor accident usually does not require a legal procedure and an attorney to handle the state of affairs. On the other hand, a grave accident requires a legal counsel who will help you deal with insurance companies to claim your rights effectively.

2. Never accept any settlement offer without consulting a lawyer.