After an Injury or Death
What should I do if I’ve been injured?
If you or someone in your family has been injured, you should first deal with getting the right medical care. Once that has been squared away, it’s important to move promptly to seek good legal advice. Evidence needs to be preserved and witnesses tracked down. A skilled lawyer who…
What if someone died? Can the family sue?
Yes. The legal process starts with official appointment of someone, usually a family member, as the “personal representative” or “administrator” of the estate of the deceased person. That person then acts on behalf of the surviving family members. Any money…
Should I sue someone?
This is a question people ask themselves only when something terrible has happened to themselves or a loved one, and someone else seems to be at fault. So it’s never an easy circumstance to think about. It’s especially tough to consider a lawsuit in the immediate aftermath…
Are there bad reasons to sue someone?
Yes. Revenge is usually a bad motive, because it often doesn’t work and you wind up more frustrated than before. Another reason not to sue is when the lawsuit process is more burdensome and expensive on the victim than the prospects of recovery could make up for. That is why…
Will I hurt the person I’m suing by bringing a claim against him or her?
Almost all personal injury claims are defended by lawyers paid by insurance companies. Any payment the defendant makes to you is ordinarily covered by the same insurer. As a result, personal injury claims do not typically impose financial damages on the defendant personally. One…
What if I’ve been hurt by a federal government employee?
We have an extensive discussion on our website devoted to the laws that control lawsuits against the federal government. The main law is called the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). The FTCA sets the rules about who can and cannot sue the federal government. If you have a potential claim…
Dealing With Insurance
What if I am contacted by an insurance company?
It depends on whose insurance company has contacted you. If it’s your own insurance company, you are obligated to disclose information about what has occurred. If you wind up retaining an attorney, it is generally best to let your attorney deal with your insurance company…
Do I still have a claim if my medical bills were paid by insurance?
Yes. If you file a lawsuit, the total cost of medical bills will be calculated as part of the damages. This sum includes whatever your insurer paid to cover your expenses. If you receive a settlement or a judgment in your favor, however, you may need to reimburse your insurer for what they paid…
Finding and Hiring a Top Lawyer
What makes a good attorney? How do I find one?
Too many injured people settle for second-rate or mediocre lawyers when they don’t have to. It’s not that hard to find a top attorney if you have a good potential case. AND you don’t have to pay extra for a high quality lawyer or law firm. We have a…
How soon should I contact an attorney?
You should get in touch with an attorney as soon as you or your loved one has received proper medical treatment for any injuries. As time passes, memories fade and it can become more difficult to construct an adequate case. Contacting an attorney early will help ensure…
How does my lawyer figure out if I have a good case?
Sometimes it’s obvious, but sometimes it’s murky. That’s especially true if the victim was already sick or badly injured when another unexpected event tipped them over the edge. A good attorney will carefully sort through all the pieces of the puzzle…
Will there be any legal fee to evaluate my case?
No. At Patrick Malone & Associates, we don’t charge for our time involved in evaluating a potential client’s case and discussing it with you. Sometimes we may ask you to pay for records or expert witness evaluations, but that money doesn’t go to us. Most…
How does my attorney get paid?
Patrick Malone & Associates is paid no fee unless we win compensation for you. This payment method is called a “contingency fee,” and is standard for personal injury firms. If we do recover money for you, Patrick Malone & Associates will take a percentage…
Who covers the expenses of filing a lawsuit?
Bringing a lawsuit can be expensive, even if you don’t pay for your lawyer on an hourly basis. Once Patrick Malone & Associates has evaluated your case and you decide to work with us, we can discuss the financing of case expenses. Typically, the law firm…
Lawsuits: Compensation & Settlements
What things can a lawsuit get me compensation for?
A lawsuit can help you recover any costs associated with your injury, as well as any loss in quality of life you have sustained because of your injury. Costs might include past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, loss of earnings potential even…
What does “compensation” mean in an injury claim or lawsuit?
The main purpose of a lawsuit is to receive money compensation for the harm that you or a family member has suffered as the result of somebody else’s misconduct. Part of this harm is lost wages and medical expenses – both those you’ve already…
Can my attorney tell me what my claim is worth?
Not at the first meeting. Part of an attorney’s job is to advise you on the value of your case so that you can decide if it is worth pursuing or settling out of court. When you first come in, however, we will not have enough information to give you an estimate at that time. First, we have to…
How does a settlement work?
If both sides can agree on how much your case should settle for—and that means YOU have to agree too, the following steps happen to complete the case: A written settlement agreement and “release of claims” is negotiated between the two sides and signed by…
Deadlines for Personal Injury Lawsuits
Is it ever too late to bring a claim?
Yes. Every jurisdiction has deadlines for filing lawsuits in court. These can be complex depending on the type of injury, whether it happened to an adult or a child, and whether it was caused by a government employee, corporation, or a private person. That’s one of the…
What Happens in a Lawsuit
What information comes out during a lawsuit?
Both sides during a lawsuit will look at anything and everything that they can do to make their case. As plaintiff, all of the information pertaining to your injury or that of your family member is fair game, including your entire medical history unless something is completely…
How do I know what is happening with my case?
Patrick Malone & Associates will send you periodic updates about what is happening with your case. In particular, we will inform you of major milestones (such as filing the case) and any dates you need to know (such as when the case is set for trial). As your…
What effect will filing a lawsuit have on my everyday life?
Pursuing legal action can be time consuming, particularly at the beginning when you are helping your attorney understand what happened, and at the end during settlement negotiations or trial. Your lawsuit should not, however, take over your life. It is your attorney’s…
How long does a lawsuit take?
Lawsuits can take as long as a few years. Before a lawsuit is even filed in court, your attorney will need to do months of investigation and research into your claim. Once filed, both parties will still have more work to do before the trial itself. The court will set a schedule for…
How much of my time will a lawsuit take?
Surprisingly, your claim will not require a great deal of your time, unless it goes all the way to trial. After the initial interview, Patrick Malone & Associates will do most of the work for you. In the typical personal injury case, you would be required to come to the office…
Will I have to go to court?
You will not have to go to court unless your case cannot be settled and must be tried. Because of the careful screening of meritorious cases undertaken by Patrick Malone & Associates, the large majority of claims are settled before trial; however, because of….
Steps in the Legal Process
Here are the steps that happen in most lawsuits. Throughout these steps, the attorney should keep clients completely informed about the developments of the case. Initial Study: You decide to contact a law firm so that they can learn the basic facts…
Location, Location, Location
Where should I bring my lawsuit?
What jurisdiction to file a claim in depends mostly upon where the injury occurred, and who injured you. While finding the proper location may sound simple, it can quickly become very complex. The way government and corporations are set up, cases…
What geographic areas do you take lawsuits from?
Patrick Malone & Associates has lawyers who are admitted to all the federal and state courts in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. We routinely prosecute personal injury cases in all three of those jurisdictions. We also practice in other….
What if I need a lawyer in a place where Patrick Malone & Associates does not practice?
Depending on what happened and where, we can often help steer you to a top lawyer. The Inner Circle of Advocates is an excellent resource for finding highly qualified personal injury lawyers throughout the United States. The Inner Circle was…
Trying to find Answers through a Lawsuit
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If you have more questions about personal injury cases, please contact us or call 202-742-1500 or toll free at 1-888-625-6635 for a free no-obligation consultation.
