What Movies Do Not Tell You about Personal Injury Claims

Thursday, January 28, 2016

What Movies Do Not Tell You about Personal Injury Claims

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

Hollywood loves to feature legal stories. After all, criminal cases and big lawsuits always make for a great show. What they do not seem to feature, however, is reality. Over the years, Hollywood has given way for several misconceptions – especially when it comes to personal injury lawsuits. Even TV dramas tend to leave out important facts, which give viewers a false impression about what they can expect if they choose to file a lawsuit later on themselves.

There are great movies out there that discuss class action lawsuits, including Erin Brockovich and A Civil Action, but they do not give people a practical picture of what they can expect if they file a suit themselves.

If you do have a personal injury lawsuit, it is important that you speak with an attorney to learn the facts of your own case and just what you can expect – rather than relying on Hollywood movies and TV dramas to tell it to you straight.

Things You Need to Know in Reality

1. Not all lawsuits are class action lawsuits. Most personal injury lawsuits have just one plaintiff filing a claim and just one defendant – and that defendant is not always a company either. While big lawsuits do happen at least once every other year, the majority of personal injury claims are between two individuals or an insurance company and an individual.
2. Lawsuits will not take a decade. Most of the lawsuits highlighted by Hollywood take years to resolve, but the reality is that lawsuits will usually take a few months to over a year – but not play out for decades.
3. Lawyers are always professional. In Hollywood movies you can sometimes see family members on opposite sides of the courtroom, such as a father representing the defense while a daughter represents the plaintiff. In reality, attorneys are much more professional than that, and any time there may be a conflict of interest, they would not sit on opposing sides. Also, an attorney is never there to sell you. Instead, they work as your advocate and, when you hire them, you are hiring a professional to protect your rights.
4. Big businesses are not always a named defendant in a lawsuit. Stories will often hit the news showing that a big corporation isn’t willing to pay for their mistakes. In reality, most corporations will pay without ever going to court. They would rather settle their case than deal with a high profile trial that can disrupt their brand’s image.
5. Personal injury lawsuits are always life and death. Unfortunately, Hollywood often portrays the plaintiff as someone who is so sick or injured so severely that their personal injury suit becomes a matter of life or death – such as they cannot receive the treatment they need without their lawsuit’s compensation. In reality, most plaintiffs are injured, but they are not solely relying on their compensation in order to seek the treatment they need. In fact, most personal injury lawsuits involve non-fatal injuries, emotional damage, pain and suffering, and reputational harm.

Speak with a Chicago Attorney Regarding Your Claim

If you have been injured, contact a Chicago attorney regarding your personal injury lawsuit. Malman Law will give you a clear picture of what you can expect with your case – and what you can forget about from the movies. To schedule a consultation, call us at 888-247-2160 or fill out an online contact form for more information.