If you’ve been injured through no fault and believe that a company’s product, service, or employee was the primary cause, speak with a lawyer to determine your options. Injury law makes up a large portion of the nation’s legal practice. Every year, millions of consumers are harmed in small and large ways by defective or mislabeled products, negligent service providers, or employees of companies who acted without due care.
Step one for any wrongfully injured person is to get reliable advice from a licensed attorney. It’s imperative to hire someone who has experience with the type of situation you face. If you are hit by a commercial truck on a public roadway, finding a law firm specializing in handling truck accidents in the state where the incident occurred makes sense. Seek medical attention for all injuries, even small ones, to document the event.
Likewise, meticulously document everything else related to the accident. Never discuss the details of the mishap with anyone but your attorney or the attorney’s representatives. Follow all instructions from the law firm until the case is settled. Finally, if the award is substantial, consider working with a certified financial professional to settle any outstanding tax debts or other obligations you have. Review the following details before taking action after an injury caused by someone else.
Get Good Advice
It’s never a good idea to assume you have a winning or losing case after suffering an injury. Instead of guessing, speak with someone who can offer a balanced opinion. Law firms are structured to provide walk-in customers free consultations about all sorts of situations, including physical injuries resulting from another person’s or organization’s actions. Once you have an idea about the potential for the case’s success, move forward by either hiring a licensed professional to represent you or dropping the idea.
Get the Right Kind of Help
Those who seek financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, legal fees, and other costs should find a reputable lawyer to handle the case. However, it is important to find the right kind of legal help. If you’re a resident of Indiana, hire a law firm with experience in truck accidents if you’ve been hit by a commercial truck. Truck accidents are among the most frequent causes of serious physical harm and death on Indiana roads.
Commercial vehicles come in all sizes and shapes, including box and semi-trucks and dozens of other vehicles that operate during ordinary business. Anyone in a serious crash with a large vehicle knows how devastating the results can be. Sometimes the cause is an unsafe or inattentive driver or a poorly maintained vehicle with old tires. Additionally, fatigue can lead to deadly crashes if drivers are not well-rested or taking proper breaks on the job.
Document Everything
Keep meticulous written and photographic documentation of everything related to the incident, even afterward when you visit physician’s offices, take time off work, and begin to experience side effects of medication or physical problems. Maintain a digital or hard-copy journal that includes every pertinent detail daily. It’s better to record more information than not enough. Your attorney can use the notes later in preparation for court or for making a settlement with the defendant’s team. Of course, seek medical attention whenever needed, but be open to suggestions from your lawyer about which doctors can offer the best treatment for your injuries.
Consult an Accountant
While most who win injury compensation cases don’t have to pay any tax on the awards, speaking with an experienced accountant is essential. Why? Because if you currently owe taxes or are in dispute with the IRS, a CPA (certified public accountant) can advise you of the options. If your injury settlement amount is large enough, you can make the IRS an OIC (offer in compromise).
Taxpayers who owe substantial sums, generally over $10,000, can make OICs through an attorney or CPA. In many cases, the government will settle for much less than the total amount owed, especially if you can show that paying the entire sum would be a financial hardship or impossible. People use inheritances, lottery winnings, injury payouts, and cash gifts from relatives to pay tax bills via OICs. It’s legal to settle a debt for less than the total bill. 1. Use simpler language: While the language in the text is not too complex, some readers may find it difficult to understand. Using simpler language will help improve the effectiveness of the writing and make it more accessible to a wider audience.
FAQs
How can an experienced accountant help with injury compensation cases?
An experienced accountant can help with injury compensation cases by reviewing financial documents related to the case, calculating damages, and providing expert testimony in court.
What is an OIC (offer in compromise) and how can it help taxpayers who owe substantial sums?
An OIC is a tax settlement option that allows taxpayers who owe substantial sums to settle their debts for less than the full amount owed. It can help taxpayers avoid liens, levies, and seizures of assets.
What are some examples of situations where people use OICs to pay tax bills?
Some common situations where people use OICs to pay tax bills include if they have experienced a significant decrease in income, have high expenses due to medical bills, or if paying the full amount owed would cause undue economic hardship.
