Determining If You Have a Personal Injury Case

Personal Injury clients come to Berman & Simmons in a number of different ways. Many clients are referred to us by other law firms or individual lawyers throughout Maine, New England, or around the country based on our reputation as “the best plaintiffs’ personal injury firm in Maine” and “the gold standard in personal injury law.” Some hear about us through relatives, friends, past clients, or in the news, while others find us by searching online.

Do you have a valid claim? Always, the first task is for us to determine whether or not you have a valid claim. A bad result alone is not enough to establish negligence. We will need to prove that you suffered a substantial personal injury and the injury was directly caused by the negligence of another party. This can take days, weeks, or even a period of months for more complex cases.

If you’ve been in a serious accident or harmed by someone else’s negligence, it’s important to consult with us as soon as possible as critical evidence can be lost or become unavailable. Also, Maine has strict statutes of limitations for filing personal injury claims.

According to DMV.org, personal injury attorneys can help when:

• A serious injury has occurred that involved broken bones, hospitalization, or potential permanent damage.
• A death has resulted from the accident.
• Fault is clearly an issue.
• The accident occurred in a construction area.
• A police report does not accurately describe the accident and puts you at fault.
• The limits of your liability insurance are low.
• You have no insurance, or your insurance company suggests that you did not pay your premium.
• Your insurer drags its feet on getting you a settlement.
• Your insurer involves its own attorney.

Free consultation. Call us, fill out the simple form on our website, or stop by one of our offices in Portland, Lewiston, or Bangor to start the process. We’ll be in touch for more information or to schedule an appointment if needed. We’re happy to meet with you at the hospital or your home if necessary. Everything we discuss is confidential and protected under the law.

Decision. We will let you know if we believe you have a valid claim after the initial call or meeting with you. If we move forward with litigation, our attorneys and staff will then take it from there and do everything else that needs to be done, including obtaining and reviewing records relevant to your case, such as accident reports and other law enforcement documents, employer records, insurance and/or medical records, and other information.