Bell & Bell, P.A.

“Filing suit” is the act of filing legal papers at the courthouse. The client gives the authorization to file suit after all other options have been exhausted during pre-suit. When a case is filed with the court, it does not necessarily mean you will be going to trial and most cases are resolved before a trial begins.

Medical facilities and doctors will sometimes accept a “letter of protection,” which is a document allowing the patient to continue treatment without having to pay for it until a later date. In some cases, people may lack insurance coverage or their PIP benefits have been depleted. In these cases, a medical provider may request a letter of protection. It is essential that the client understand that if the case is not resolved in their favor, the client would still be responsible for paying their medical bills even if there is a letter of protection on file.

Every client is an individual and the recovery time varies with each person. Often a case cannot be resolved until we are able to determine the full extent of the injuries sustained. That may require time for surgery, rehabilitation, etc. With that in mind, the average premises liability/auto or general negligence cases will reach resolution in four months to a year. That timeline is bound to fluctuate depending on the characteristics of each case.

The case value is based on several areas, assuming the liability issue is straightforward. Those areas include: • Past Medical Bills • Future Medical Bills • Past Lost Wages • Loss of Earning Capacity in the Future • Pain and Suffering A case value is also affected by other evidence such as: whether there are discrepancies in the testimony, medical records, or other evidence that may detract from the injured party’s case.

We charge on a contingency-fee basis. This meaning that you will not pay us any fee unless there is a settlement or a winning verdict at trial. Typically, our fee is one-third or 33.3% of the total recovery in addition to case costs (money that we pay out to others in order to prepare your case).

“Personal Injury” is a broad term that means any kind of accident or occurrence that leads to bodily injury. This includes not only injuries related to automobile accidents but also injuries related to slip and falls, trip and falls, negligent security, cruise ship injuries, etc.