Rapid City Personal Injury Lawyers

A:While you are not required to have a lawyer represent you in a personal injury or workers' compensation claim, there are certainly times where having an attorney on your side can help ensure you receive justice and fair compensation for your injuries. If any of the following are true, you should consider hiring a Rapid City personal injury attorney from our firm: 1. You have suffered serious injuries as a result of your accident. 2. You want to pursue compensation for pain and suffering. 3. The insurance company is refusing to offer you a fair settlement, or they have denied your claim. 4. The accident was complicated and there is some debate over who was at fault. 5. You are facing mounting medical bills, long-term treatment, or a long recovery process. 6. You are unfamiliar with the claims process or the legal system in your state.

A:When filing a personal injury claim in South Dakota, you may pursue compensation for 3 different types of damages, depending on the details of your case: Economic Damages - These types of damages attempt to repay out-of-pocket expenses including lost income, medical bills, damaged property, long-term care, and funeral costs (in the case of wrongful death). Noneconomic Damages - These damages are meant to compensate victims for non-monetary losses, including: pain and suffering, mental distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship. Punitive Damages - These types of damage are reserved for especially serious cases where there was criminal activity involved. Punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and discourage the same thing from happening again.

A:When comparing one attorney to the next, you may feel at a loss as to what qualities you should even be looking for in an injury lawyer. Here are some guidelines to help aid your search: Experience - You want a lawyer who has been through the legal process dozens if not hundreds of times and knows the ins and outs of filing, fighting, and winning a case. Good track record - The best way to find out if an attorney is right for you is to read their case results and reviews from previous clients; nothing speaks louder than an injury lawyer's past track record. Professional connections - A great attorney has the resources and connections needed to strengthen their cases; this can be anything from medical experts to expert witnesses. Oftentimes winning a lawsuit is a team effort. A desire to fight for your best interests - At the end of the day, you want to hire an injury attorney who has your best interests in mind and is willing to fight until the very end to ensure your case is resolved fairly. Don't settle for an attorney who doesn't truly care about you.

A:A personal injury lawyer specializes in handling cases involving accidents or injuries caused by someone else's negligence. This can include a number of different types of cases including: car accidents, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, pedestrian accidents and much more. Unsure whether we handle your type of case or not? Reach out to our team for a free initial consultation! 

A:Our team of personal injury lawyers provide representation on what is known as a "contingency fee basis." This means that if you don't recover compensation for your injuries, you don't pay us. If we do successfully recover compensation on your behalf, we deduct our fee as a percentage of your total settlement amount. This means you don't have to pay anything out-of-pocket and you are able to focus on your recovery while we focus on getting you the settlement you deserve. 

A:Every state enforces its own laws that limit the amount of time you have after your accident to file a lawsuit. This is referred to as the "statute of limitations." In South Dakota, people who have been injured as a result of someone else's negligence may file a personal injury lawsuit against the other party for up to 3 years after the date of your accident. If you wait too long to file a claim, your lawsuit will likely be dismissed by the South Dakota court system.

A:No two personal injury cases are identical, that also means that there is no one-size-fits-all settlement amount. When it comes to determining the value of your claim, your attorney will take into account several things: the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses, whether or not you were forced to take time off work, and whether or not you experienced pain or suffering as a result. Personal injury settlements can range anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 or more. To get the best idea of what your case may be worth, reach out to your personal injury attorney today.