Common Questions Regarding Injury Cases

What should I do if I have been injured?

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, the actions you take immediately after the incident could potentially affect your life in the future. While each incident is different, there are general considerations. You should first seek medical attention. If the incident involves something like medical malpractice, calling 911 may not be an option. If calling 911 is not appropriate, you should take every step to document the negligence that has occurred either to family members or through other doctors. This documentation may include requesting any witness names (and their contact information) and incident reports. If possible, you should also take photos of the scene – even if you only have a cell phone camera. You should also seek competent professional advice as soon as possible to help determine if you have a personal injury claim. The Law Office of George J. Nelson has extensive experience in investigating personal injury claims, and can help determine if you have a valid claim, and if you do, who is the responsible party and what compensation may be available to you.   

Why is it important to seek advice promptly?  

The insurance company of the negligent party often has an advantage over the injury victim, and is able to start their investigation right away. Contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible will help start the process of evaluating your potential claim. It will also help ensure that all relevant evidence is preserved and that important deadlines and statutes of limitations are met.   

What should I do if an insurance company contacts me?   

Insurance companies are in the business of dealing with claims. Insurance adjusters are experienced and handle claims day in and day out. The injured individual does not. If an insurance adjuster calls you and asks for a recorded statement, never agree to this recorded statement without consulting with a lawyer first. These experienced adjusters are in the business of taking statements and can utilize questioning procedures to get an injured individual to say something that is not helpful to their case, when in fact an appropriate wording of the information would have avoided the negative impact on the case. In addition, do not sign any papers or agree to a settlement, as this might affect your right to pursue a claim. Always consult with an attorney first. At The Law Office of George J. Nelson, there is no charge for this consultation.   

Will there be a cost to evaluate my claim?   

No. At The Law Office of George J. Nelson, we will meet with you to discuss your potential claim free of charge.   Question: How does The Law Office of George J. Nelson get paid? Answer: The Law Office of George J. Nelson handles personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis. If you do not receive any compensation, then you do not pay any fees or costs. If there is recovery, the legal fee is a percentage of the amount recovered, and there are no fees due until money is collected for you.   

Will I have to go to court?   

The Law Office of George J. Nelson aggressively represents clients, and fights for maximum recovery. While in some cases compensation may be achieved with a settlement offer, it may not be attainable for all cases. At The Law Office of George J. Nelson, the focus of the firm requires that our attorneys are ready and willing toregularly try our client’s cases.   

Can I make a claim at any time after an incident?   

No. Statutes of limitations set a maximum time after an event that legal proceedings (based on that event) may be brought against the negligent party or company. Contacting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an incident can help meet important dates and deadlines. If would like to discuss the statutes of limitations for your potential claim, contact The Law Office of George J. Nelson at 605-719-9470.   

What cities and areas do your attorneys take cases from?  

I make court appearances across the state of South Dakota.  However, my time is mostly spent in Rapid City, Hot Springs, Custer, Deadwood, Sturgis, and Spearfish.  I also appear in Belle Fource, Kadoka, Pierre, Winner, and Sioux Falls.  The Law Office of George J. Nelson represents clients across the state of South Dakota. In some personal injury cases, The Law Office of George J. Nelson also represents clients nationwide.   

How Can I Contact The Law Office of George J. Nelson?  

If you have additional questions about personal injury law, or a potential personal injury claim, you may contact The Law Office of George J. Nelson by filling out the free case evaluation form or calling 605-719-9470. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

DISCLAIMER:      The answers provided on this website are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney.  No person should ever apply or interpret any law without seeking the help of an attorney.  The attorney needs to know the facts of your situation and be aware of any changes in the law before forming and giving an opinion on it.  You should not read the responses herein to propose specific action or address specific circumstances, but only to give you a sense of general principles of law that might affect the situation you describe.  Application of these general principles to particular circumstances must be done by a lawyer who has spoken with you in confidence, learned all relevant information, and explored various options.  Before acting on these general principles, you should hire a lawyer licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction to which your question pertains.

Click here to contact the George J Nelson team to help with your case.