Personal Injury Claim with Out-of-State Lawyer
If you are injured due to the negligence of another party, whether it is a slip-and-fall incident, auto collision, or other type of incident, you can file a personal injury claim to get compensation.
This compensation can help you cover the costs of:
- Your medical expenses
- Lost wages due to missed work
- General living expenses
- Pain and suffering
One of the first steps towards filing your claim may be to choose a lawyer to represent you throughout the claims process.
If the incident occurs in another state, it may affect your choice in a lawyer to represent you. Whether you got in a fender-bender just over state lines from your home state or traveled across the country and slipped and fell at a store, you will likely have to choose an out-of-state lawyer. Keep reading for information on some of the options available to you.
Using a Lawyer from Your Home State
Let’s say you were injured in another state and want to file a personal injury claim with the help of your own lawyer. Having the familiar face of a lawyer who you have previously worked with can be comforting.
Plus, if you are in close proximity to your lawyer, it will make the process easier throughout your personal injury claim process.
Unfortunately, if your lawyer is not licensed in the state in which your incident took place, you will be unable to work with them for your claim.
You may find this fact disappointing, but you will also come to find that there are also positive aspects to working with an out-of-state lawyer.
Using an Out-of-State Lawyer
If you are unable to use the lawyer you work with in your home state, you will need to find an out-of-state lawyer. Luckily, there are plenty of lawyers in each state who even specialize in out-of-state personal injury claims.
This means that they may be able to work around the complications of not being in close proximity to you and your other concerns, and used to these types of considerations.
Another benefit to hiring an out-of-state lawyer is that they will be knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the liability and fault laws in their own state. For instance, you may have gotten into a car collision in Virginia, while visiting from your home state of Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is a no-fault state, which means that the injured person’s insurance company provides compensation for their injuries. However, Virginia is a fault state, which means that you have to prove the percentage of fault in a car collision. A Virginia lawyer would be more experienced and helpful in this case than a Massachusetts lawyer.
Whether you choose to work with a lawyer in your home state, if they are licensed in the other state, or decide to retain an out-of-state lawyer, utilizing the experience of any lawyer is important in itself.
Hiring a lawyer will be helpful to ensure that you have a successful personal injury claim and earn the compensation that you deserve.
