2021 was a busy year in emergency rooms all around the country. According to the CDC, there were 40 million visitors to emergency rooms. How many of them resulted in someone contacting injury attorneys? That depends on whether they believed these six myths that we're about to debunk here.

1. It’s Always a Long Process

When people think about any injury law case, they think about spending hours in a courtroom. Part of that stems from having to do a lot of paperwork and compiling documents and testimony. It's not going to take days to get completed, but you can think more in terms of months than years, in our professional experience. Your injury attorneys will gather all the relevant information and make sure everything is in order before they proceed.

2. Insurance Never Pays

You might think that the insurance company will shirk their responsibilities. While they may look for ways to pay as little as possible, they are going to pay what they have to. That's what they are there for. You or the other party is going to have to pay a deductible, depending on the ruling.

3. The Other Party Pays Everything

This is one reason why people might be reluctant to file any personal injury claims, as they might be afraid that the other party won't be able to pay for any damages or other things such as pain and suffering. You won't have to worry, since the other party's insurance (there's the part about insurance actually paying) will cover the cost and then the other party is going to have to pay higher premiums for a while.

4. Don't File Claims Against Family or Friends

Are you afraid that you might make holidays awkward or that you might lose your friendship if you filed a claim against either of them? While there could be some tension in the air, there's no denying that having a lawyer by your side to discuss things can reduce that feeling. The lawyer will be talking with your family member's or your friend's lawyer and insurance. Ultimately, the insurance should pay for most of it, and you can hopefully put it all past you sooner rather than later.

5. You Can File Whenever You Want

You're going to have to file within a certain amount of time. While this differs from state to state, the statute of limitations is usually going to be around two years, though it can be shorter or longer, in our professional experience. The important thing is that you know when the deadline is, though you should definitely file it well before the deadline. That way, you'll have plenty of time to gather things and submit them in a timely manner.

The reason for this is that after a lot of time goes by, it might be hard to prove that any side effects you feel were actually caused by the accident and not from something else. You need to make sure that you see a doctor soon after the incident and keep a detailed log of things like how many appointments you had and what you did in physical therapy. Your attorney will make sure that you meet any deadlines and that you have all the information.

6. Don't File For Minor Injuries

You might hear from others who are diminishing the extent of your injuries that it's not worth filing a claim. Regardless, if you were severely injured or if you only sustained a few bumps and bruises or cuts, you should be compensated for your medical bills if you weren't at fault. No injury is so small that it should be swept under the rug and forgotten.

There are a lot of other myths floating around out there. Some of them are from misunderstandings, and others are malicious lies. Every field of business has them. It's just a matter of spending a little time sifting through them and seeing what's true and what's not. That will help you determine whether you have something worth moving forward with in terms of a claim. Then, you'll be glad that you took that extra time to look.

Are you looking for injury attorneys in your area? We handle everything from car accidents to forklift accidents. Contact Harris Injury Law today to set up a free consultation. We look forward to working with you.