Accidents happen all the time and are an unfortunate, inevitable part of life. When they cause injuries, you might want to consider filing a personal injury claim to recover damages for your medical bills and other expenses. However, one thing you must think about is whether you want to hire a personal injury lawyer. While you can represent yourself in your case, there are six key reasons why you should hire an attorney that you must know.
Professional Knowledge and Experience
Personal injury attorneys have professional knowledge of the law and the experience needed to handle a legal claim. They know all about the laws within your state, including the statute of limitations or amount of time during which you can file your claim with the court in order for your case to be heard. Lawyers also have the experience necessary to face the opposing party’s lawyer and expertly represent you to the best of their ability.
Saves You Time
Having a personal injury attorney on your side saves you precious time. There is always a lot of paperwork and other evidence involved in such a legal matter and know how to get all the medical records and other documents they need to support your claim. In addition, lawyers understand all of the legal jargon that you may not know as a layperson. They have the ability to communicate with the police, doctors and other medical personnel who examined you, witnesses to the accident and other people pertinent to your case.
Determining Whether You Have a Case
Another thing you can gain from having a personal injury lawyer is that they can determine whether or not you even have a case. An attorney can review all of your evidence, including medical records, and tell you definitively whether it’s worth pursuing your claim. For example, if your damages are very minimal and your injury very short-lived, an attorney may tell you that it isn’t worth pursuing. However, if things are more serious and you have suffered significant property damage and debilitating, disabling injuries, they will advise you on the best course of action to take moving forward with your case.
Help in Determining Fault
In some personal injury cases, it isn’t always immediately clear who was at fault for the accident. A personal injury lawyer can be invaluable in establishing who was at fault and therefore, who your lawsuit should name as the defendant. In order to do this, the attorney may evaluate all the facts of the case and gather their investigative team to determine the at-fault party.
Experience Dealing with Insurance Companies
It is not uncommon for many personal injury cases to be settled through the at-fault party’s insurance company. In car accident cases, for example, it may even be a legal requirement to recover compensation through the auto insurance policy of the driver responsible. Unless you are a lawyer yourself, it is typically not advised to speak with an insurance representative yourself because you are more likely to be offered a settlement that is far too low. Insurers use this tactic all the time, but they don’t pull it on lawyers because they know how to effectively negotiate an amount that’s satisfactory.
You Don’t Pay if You Don’t Win
One of the best things about having a personal injury attorney is that you only pay if your case is successful. These lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means they get a percentage of your settlement amount if you win your case. However, if your case is not successful, you can simply walk away without having to pay your attorney at all.
There should be no question about hiring an attorney if you plan on filing a personal injury claim. The benefits make it crazy not to retain a lawyer.
