Have you or a family member been injured because of the negligence of another party? There are more than 83,000 lawyers in Australia who practice in many different areas of the law.

A personal injury lawyer specializes in cases where their clients suffer injuries or death resulting from another party’s negligent actions. Hiring a lawyer to handle your personal injury claim can make a difference in how your case resolves.

Read on to learn how specialist personal injury lawyers can help you get the results you want!

Training as a Trusted Advocate

A personal injury attorney is trained to be an advocate you can trust to handle your case. It’s crucial to have a lawyer to represent your interests against a negligent party and their insurance company.

When you hire a lawyer, it sends a message to the other side that you are serious about your claims. An attorney with experience will know the best way to present your case to a judge or jury.

Persuasive Presentation and Negotiation Skills

The law firm you pick to handle your case must have lawyers with persuasive presentation and negotiation skills. The art of persuasion is an important trait for your lawyers because they must be able to present your case in the light most favorable to your position.

A lawyer can do this by having strong knowledge of the law and how to apply it to the facts of your case. Their negotiation skills are important before a lawsuit is filed and during litigation, as you seek to settle on your injury case.

Valuable Trial Experience

Even the best-negotiating lawyers in Parramatta can’t guarantee that you will resolve your case short of a trial. Whether your lawyer must try your case or not, their trial experience can play an important part in how the other side treats your claims.

Many defendants will seek to avoid a trial because of the costs and uncertainty of putting a case before a judge or jury. These concerns are even bigger if they know your attorney has a reputation for going to trial.

Less than five percent of civil lawsuits end with a trial but don’t overlook the importance of hiring a lawyer with trial experience. A trial lawyer can have a big impact on the final outcome of your case.

Hire the Best Personal Injury Lawyers Today

The best personal injury lawyers will make your case a priority and stay in contact with you from start to finish. They will also be willing to take the time to speak with you about the strengths and weaknesses of your case.

At Barwick Boitano Lawyers, we are a group of experienced personal injury solicitors serving clients in Sydney’s West since 1991. We are trial lawyers who are dedicated to serving the needs of our clients.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and to discuss your case with our lawyers!

Did you know that every Australian business has to have some form of public liability insurance by law? If you have had an accident while in a public place it probably happened somewhere covered by a policy. But how do you go about getting the compensation you deserve?

Unfortunately, it is not simply a case of lodging a claim. If you are waiting for a public liability payout, or you have an accident you think may be covered by it, then we can help. Read on as we discuss everything you need to know about public liability compensation.

1. Keep a Conversation Record

Any professional telephone conversation with a business will tell you it is being recorded for quality and training purposes. However, even companies can get it wrong sometimes and it is important to keep your own record of calls. These records can help back up your claims and show that nothing gets missed.

Start by noting down the time and date of the correspondence. Write down the name of the person you spoke to, and with the time and the nature of the discussion. You should also make a note of the general outcome or decision made.

Note that it is unlawful to record a call without giving permission, so don’t use any apps or devices to record the conversation. Instead, keep a written record of what went on. You can always request the recordings from the service if you later have a discrepancy.

2. Know What It Does Not Cover

There are a number of instances when public liability will not cover you. The most common of these are below.

• Aircraft products
• Asbestos
• Liquidated damages
• Gradual pollution
• Product recall
• Punitive damages

One of the most common and often misunderstood are damages obtained under an employer. These fall under workers’ compensation.

3. Be Eligible for a Public Liability Claim

You are only eligible for a public liability claim if negligence can be proven. This means you have to prove your damages occurred as a result of the company not doing their job correctly or assuming a role of care to customers.

Once you have proved negligence, you must then show that this impaired your ability to live a normal life for at least seven days after the incident. Other than this, incurring medical expenses, as a result, may entitle you to compensation.

4. Know the Difference Between Public Liability and Workers’ Compensation Insurance

As mentioned above, public liability and workers’ compensation are two different things. It is important you know the difference so you do not attempt to make a claim in the wrong area. A lawyer will help you understand the difference.

Public liability insurance is in place to protect a business from damages it causes to the public while operating. Public liability claim examples may include someone tripping over boxes in a shop and injuring themselves.

Workers comp covers people who work for a business when they suffer damages doing that job. For example, this may include someone who injures themselves by lifting the boxes in a supermarket while under employment and causes a lasting injury.

5. Know Time Frames for Settling

Getting an exact timeframe for settling a claim is tough. This is because it all depends on the extent of your injuries and any residual impact. In some cases, it can take years to know the full extent of any damage.

When your claim is for minor injuries that do not have a long-lasting impact, you can expect to receive compensation and have the claim resolved within twelve months to a year. The full extent is ascertained when the injuries have begun to stabilize.

Claims will face longer delays if liability becomes an issue. This is when the party or the insurer will not claim responsibilities for your injury. When this occurs, the circumstances have to be visited in-depth and you should get a professional lawyer on public liability to assist you.

6. How Is Compensation Assessed?

The level of compensation sought depends on a number of circumstances. The first of these is the evidence provided by medical reports. These will determine the current impact, future impact of the injuries, and if they have stabilized enough to make a strong assessment.

If you have been left with a permanent disability or are unable to do a job, the financial burden of this is also taken into account. It is recommended you don’t accept claims until the full extent of your injuries can be determined.

7. Lodging Claims in the Given Time

For anyone over the age of 18 at the time of the accident, there are 3 years from the date of the incident to place and settle a claim. If no settlement occurs in the time period, then a court proceeding must be filed before the 3 year period expires. This is known as the statute barred date.

If you are under 18 years of age, you have 3 years after your 18th birthday to start court proceedings. You do not have to wait until your 18th birthday as parents and guardians can represent you before this and bring claims on your behalf.

Getting the Public Liability Compensation You Deserve

If you have had an accident in the last three years that you believe was not your fault, you could be eligible for public liability compensation. Collate all documents and details, then speak with a professional.

Barwick Boitano Lawyers should be your first stop. We deal with all facets of compensation law, from public liability to workers’ compensation. Contact us here to discuss your claims and let us get the payout you deserve.