Suffering a serious injury in an accident can be a traumatic experience. At the law office of Sigman, Janssen, Sewall, Pitz & Burkham, our team is dedicated to protecting your rights as an accident victim. We have helped many families in Wisconsin recover the compensation they needed to move forward with their lives after being injured in an accident. Our law firm has been providing legal representation for nearly 100 years and we have recovered millions in compensation for our personal injury clients.
Reach out to our Green Bay personal injury lawyers today for a risk-free, no-cost legal consultation to learn about your rights. We can answer all of your questions and are prepared to represent you throughout the legal process if you have a case. Our services are offered on a contingency fee basis, which means you will not pay us unless we obtain a recovery on your behalf.
Contact us today at (877) 888-5201.
How Do I Know If I Have a Case?
As the victim, you have the burden of proof in a personal injury claim. This means that you – or your chosen legal representation – must present clear and thorough evidence that demonstrates another person or entity caused you to suffer an injury. This is a difficult task to handle on your own and one that is often made much easier with the help of a qualified personal injury lawyer.
During your free consultation, we can review the accident to determine if the four elements needed to prove negligence may have been present. These elements include:
- Duty of care – A duty of care is the legal obligation of a person to behave in a reasonable manner in order to prevent injury or harm to others.
- Breach of duty of care – The next element our lawyers would need to prove in a lawsuit is that the at-fault party did not uphold his or her duty of care and caused you to suffer an injury.
- Link between the breach of duty and your injury – We also need to show that there is a direct link between the accident and your injuries. Medical documents can provide this evidence. Be sure to explain to the doctor who treats you that you were injured in an accident.
- The injury caused you to suffer damages – The final element that we would need to prove is that the at-fault’s actions caused you to suffer out-of-pocket damages such as medical bills or lost wages from missing work.
If these four elements may have been present in your accident, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. If you choose to hire a Green Bay personal injury lawyer from our firm, we can handle the investigation to let you focus on your recovery. We have successfully recovered millions in compensation for accident victims. Call us today at (877) 888-5201.
What if I Share Some Fault in the Accident?
It is important to understand shared fault for a personal injury. In many cases, insurance companies or the defendant may argue that you played a part in the accident that caused your injury. Wisconsin has a comparative fault system to deal with these situations. Under this system, you may still be able to recover compensation from anyone who is equally or more at fault than you. However, you will be barred from receiving compensation if you are more responsible for the accident than the person you are filing a claim against.
Understanding the different laws that may affect your case is invaluable. That is why it is so important to have a skilled Green Bay personal injury lawyer take a look at your case.
Fill out our Free Case Evaluation form.
What Forms of Compensation Are Available?
A personal injury accident can cause various damages, like medical bills and lost wages. These expenses can add up and put you in a financial crisis. Depending on your situation, you may be eligible to recover compensation for both economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the financial losses a victim experiences after an accident. These losses can be measured via medical bills and other bills and receipts accumulated after an accident. Economic damages you may be able to recover include:
- Past, future and current medical treatment
- Doctor’s visits
- Medical equipment
- Loss of income from missed work
- Medication costs
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Property damage
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages have no defined value. These damages refer to the hardships the victim faces that do not involve money. Unlike property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages, calculating the value of these damages requires a thorough evaluation of the emotional pain the accident caused. Examples of noneconomic damages include the following:
- Emotional distress
- Reduced enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Disability or disfigurement
The Green Bay personal injury attorneys at Sigman, Janssen, Sewall, Pitz & Burkham may be able to carefully evaluate your situation, determine the value of your injuries and work to pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact us today so that we can help to determine if you may have a case.
Speak to a qualified lawyer. Ph: (877) 888-5201.
Wisconsin Laws That May Affect Your Personal Injury Case
There are various laws that could have an impact on your personal injury case. One law that is vital to know about is the statute of limitations. This is a state law that determines the amount of time personal injury victims have to file a lawsuit.
In Wisconsin, many personal injury cases must be filed within three years from the date the accident occurred. Cases filed after this deadline will likely be thrown out and victims will be barred from receiving compensation.
While many cases fall under this deadline, others may have different deadlines. For example, wrongful death cases involving an accident with a motor vehicle have a statute of limitations of just two years. If the injury victim is a minor, the statute of limitations will be extended to his or her 20th birthday.
If your case involves the negligence of an employee, agent or officer of the state, there is a notice requirement. Within 120 days of your accident, you must provide notice of the situation that led to your injury.
An important step in determining the deadline for your potential case is discussing it with an experienced injury attorney. Our Green Bay personal injury lawyers have extensive knowledge of the deadlines that may apply to your case.
What Can I Do to Make My Case Stronger?
Contacting a skilled lawyer can be highly beneficial to your best interests. Our Green Bay personal injury attorneys can manage every aspect of your potential case, but there are other important actions you can take that may help preserve your claim, such as:
Seek Medical Attention
When you are injured in an accident, it is important to your health and well-being to get medical treatment. Sometimes severe injuries are not immediately noticed and require special imaging tests such as x-rays or CT scans to diagnose. Even if you feel that your injuries are minimal, you should see a doctor to make sure that you are receiving necessary treatment and your health is not deteriorating.
The doctor can also provide you with important documents that link your injury to the accident. This is vital to your personal injury claim.
Take Photos
If your injury allows you to do so, gather as much evidence of the accident as possible while you are at the scene. It is important to do this immediately when the accident scene is undisturbed so that you can accurately depict the cause of the accident and the circumstances leading up to it.
Take photos of your injury, property damage, skid marks or road debris, and every angle of the accident scene that you think is relevant. For instance, if you were injured in a slip and fall accident, take photos of the area where the fall happened.
Report the Accident
Be sure to file a police or accident report as soon as the accident occurs. This report will be an important piece of evidence that may help validate your personal injury claim.
Collect Witness Statements
If anyone witnessed your accident, it is important to take notes on what they claim to have witnessed. Be sure to ask for their contact information in case our lawyers or insurance companies need to verify what they said.
Collect Contact Information from Involved Parties
Be sure to gather important information such as their names, driver’s license numbers and phone numbers.
Keep a Journal
Having an accident journal can be extremely beneficial to your personal injury claim. Your journal should include details on the pain you feel and how it differs daily. You should also note days of work your missed and normal activities that you have not been able to partake in since the accident occurred.
Get Copies of All Documents Related to Your Accident
It is important that you keep track of important documents. This includes medical reports, police reports and insurance documents. These are important documents that help to validate your injuries and damages.
Contact a Lawyer
Having a qualified lawyer handling your case can go a long way toward protecting your best interests. Our lawyers understand Wisconsin law and how to apply it to your case. If you have a case and you allow us to represent you, we will be focused on your best interests throughout the entire legal process.
Speak to our firm today by calling (877) 888-5201.
Types of Personal Injury Cases in Brown County
Our Green Bay personal injury attorneys have experience with a wide variety of cases involving the negligence of other people or entities. Some of the kinds of cases we handle include:
If you have been injured in any of these situations, it is important that you contact a lawyer at our firm so that we can review your claim.
Fill out our Free Case Evaluation form.
How an Attorney Can Help Your Case
For nearly 100 years, we have been representing Wisconsin residents. If you have a valid claim, there are several steps we can take to help build a strong case and pursue the fair compensation you may be eligible for. This may include:
Gathering Evidence
Personal injury cases are only as strong as the evidence. Our attorneys know how to gather important evidence to build a strong case. This can include photos, video, witness statements and medical and police reports that connect your injury to the accident.
Applying State Laws
Having a lawyer on your side who understands Wisconsin law is vital. Our Green Bay personal injury lawyers have extensive knowledge of the laws that could apply to your specific claim.
Negotiating a Settlement
Many personal injury cases are resolved through insurance settlements or settlements with at-fault parties. Our lawyers can handle this process on your behalf, pursuing all compensation you may be eligible to receive.
Handling Communication
Accidents often involve various parties, from the at-fault parties to insurance carriers, and it is important to communicate with them regularly until a fair settlement is reached. We can handle communication with these various parties so you can spend your time focused on your health and recovery.
Our partner James Pitz has obtained more than $100 million in compensation for injury victims in Wisconsin. He is also a member of the Wisconsin Association for Justice.
Contact a Green Bay Personal Injury Lawyer
Dealing with a personal injury can be stressful and devastating to you and your family. It puts a pause on your life and may set you back financially. At Sigman, Janssen, Sewall, Pitz & Burkham, our Green Bay personal injury attorneys can discuss possible legal options. You may be eligible for compensation for the damages you have suffered. We know compensation can never change what happened, but it can help you deal with the aftermath.
We encourage you to schedule your 100 percent free consultation now to discuss your claim with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. Our legal services are handled on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs to worry about. In fact, you do not pay us anything unless we successfully obtain compensation for you through a settlement or court victory.
We look forward to helping you. Give us a call at (877) 888-5201.