Following an accident, the victim has rights that he or she can assert. For this, she may need the services of a lawyer specializing in personal injury. This is also the case for people who are victims of assault. But before going through this professional, it is important to know why the services of this type of lawyer can be beneficial and what their skills are.
What is bodily injury?
After an attack or accident, a person may suffer bodily injuries that can affect their daily comfort. The damage can also cause bodily harm which impacts one’s integrity psychologically and/or physically.
If the damage is caused by another person or by something that belongs to them (a piece of furniture that has fallen, a car, a dog that has bitten on the public highway, etc.), the victim has the right to request compensation in the form of compensation. ‘compensation. The compensation makes it possible to cover and repair the bodily injuries she suffered.
To assert their right and benefit from this compensation, if the process cannot be done amicably, the victim can resort to legal proceedings. In this case, she can hire a personal injury lawyer to benefit from the most informed advice and defend this right.
The roles of the lawyer
A lawyer specializing in personal injury law is an expert in legal procedures relating to accidents (work, road, medical, etc.), assaults, and others. His role is to inform his client of what the law says about the right to be compensated in the event of bodily injury.
Then, he must inform the victim of the procedures to follow so that he can benefit from his right (to be compensated). As in cases of other rights, the lawyer must defend the interests of his client, but in an objective, impartial and independent manner.
The personal injury lawyer also has a supporting role. Even if the after-effects suffered are only minor, the professional must support their client gradually and step by step until they obtain their compensation. The specialist’s support is not limited to the legal aspect. He can also help his client with administrative procedures with the competent authorities and the insurer (analysis of the accident report and the insurance contract, identification of the guarantees taken out, etc.). He also supports his client in the medical assessment and the presentation of the medical file to the insurer.
The role of a personal injury lawyer is also to negotiate an amicable procedure (according to the decision of the National Bar Council dated 12/18/2020). If this approach fails, he can resort to a contentious procedure and present the case before a competent court (Code of Judicial Organization adopted on 01/01/2020, art. L211-4-1). He then considers the court decisions and is responsible for drafting the conclusions emanating from the court, taking care to mention the compensation offers decided.
The skills of a personal injury lawyer
To support his client and defend his rights after an accident, a lawyer specializing in personal injury must have a certain level of competence about bodily injury.
The professional is a specialist who has followed a 4 or 5-year training course in law, in a specialized school. After obtaining his master’s degree (master 1 or 2) and his title of lawyer or jurist, his training continues with a view to obtaining a study certificate in Personal law, mentioning civil liability, insurance, and repair of injury. He can also follow a training course in criminal law to strengthen his knowledge.
These studies and training allow them to know and identify the situations and types of damage that can benefit from compensation. They also offer him the skills necessary to analyze the technical parameters of forensic expertise and financially assess the damage caused to his client. You should know that this professional may be required to work with other specialists such as neuropsychologists, insurers, the medical profession, forensic doctors, etc.
In summary, the lawyer’s objective is to enable his client to obtain compensation from the insurer involved or the person who caused the damage.
