Personal injury claims make up a significant portion of the total court litigation. Reports indicate more than 31 million annual personal injury cases that demand doctor care. About 2 million of these cases require hospitalization, while 162,000 die of personal injuries every year.
The statistics show how serious personal injuries can be. But how do you know when to hire a personal injury lawyer after being involved in an accident? Here is everything you should know.
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Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Whether it is a slip and fall accident or a car collision, a personal injury can be physically and emotionally draining. Depending on the severity of the injuries, it may take some time before you recover fully and get back on your feet.
The aches, trauma, and dealing with medical bills can be overwhelming. But things get better with the assistance of a personal injury lawyer.
The Attorney Is Dedicated to Your Case
The primary reason to consider hiring an attorney for your case is the benefit of dedication. Legal representation is the attorney’s primary work. They will dedicate their time and effort to see you get the compensation you deserve.
It is critical that you look for a firm that specializes in personal injury law. The legal experts are more experienced in taking you through legal options to avoid making errors.
The Attorney Is Experienced
Personal injury law is a bit complex. It takes experience and expertise to navigate through the requirements.
An attorney comes in to save you from making costly mistakes. They understand the jargon law terms and know-how to negotiate with the judge until your terms are met.
Save Your Time and Money
Contrary to most people’s beliefs that attorneys are costly, hiring a lawyer helps you save a lot in a real sense. For starters, the chances of making mistakes are minimal. In return, this saves you from costly fines. It also saves you time as you don’t have to go back and forth to rectify the mistakes.
Moreover, the attorney will use their unmatched negotiation skills to get you the best value settlement.
When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Despite the numerous benefits of hiring a personal injury attorney, not all cases necessitate this. Some instances are easy to handle by yourself and don’t require legal know-how.
Nonetheless, some personal injury claims are complex, hence the need for expert assistance. Some of the instances when you need to hire a personal injury lawyer include:
You Sustained Serious Injuries
The severity of your injuries may prompt you to seek expert legal assistance.
Your well-being should be a priority. You cannot afford to run up and down to and from the court, collect evidence, and meet with the at-fault party when you are severely injured. That could compromise your recovery or even worsen the situation.
Hiring a lawyer gives you peace of mind knowing that your case is in good hands. You can rest at the hospital or home until you recover fully, without worrying about the case.
Furthermore, if you sustain serious injuries, the financial burden becomes equivalently higher. The case gets more complicated, especially if the at-fault party does not want to cooperate.
Severe injuries may lead to permanent disabilities like amputations, spinal injuries, and brain damage. The attorney fights for such compensation. The expert will also help you acquire compensation for future expenses caused by the disabilities.
Hiring an attorney is your best shot to get suitable compensation. The attorney will use their experience to argue your case and prove that you deserve a higher sum to cover the incurred bills.
The Insurer Denies Your Claim
Unfortunately, insurers are not on your side. They may deny your claim as their only goal is to make money from you.
Dealing with a denied claim can be devastating. Besides navigating your injuries, you have to figure out how to cater to medical bills. Luckily, a lawyer can help you dispute the insurance company and protect your rights.
The insurer may deny your claim for several reasons. It could be that the insurer believes that the at-fault party did not cause the accident. They may try to claim that you caused the accident. And in this case, you need solid evidence to prove your case.
Having a lawyer by your side is the only chance to beat the claims. The law expert will investigate the accident to prove the liable party. The lawyer knows precisely what to look for and where to look to gather solid evidence.
In addition, the insurance company may deny that your injuries were caused by the accident. They may claim that you already had the limitations before the injury. The insurer will demand substantial evidence to prove that your limitations are connected to the ongoing case.
They may feel like you exaggerated your injuries or lied about the disabilities. Without evidence, you will either get compensation that is too low or get nothing.
An experienced personal injury lawyer will advise you on what information to present to prove your case. Most importantly, the law expert will negotiate on your behalf until you get a favorable settlement.
Payment Delays
So, days, weeks, and even months have passed since you got into an accident. The insurance company received your claim but is yet to respond. It could also be that they promised to make payment soon but have gone mute.
At this point, you don’t know what to expect, and you are on the verge of giving up. Medical bills are pulling up. You cannot comfortably cater to bills back home because you haven’t gone back to work since.
Insurers use different tactics to delay personal injury payments. In this case, you will be a victim of bad faith and have to force them to turn over the money.
A personal injury lawyer will help you get a fast response from the insurance company. The law expert will constantly pursue your compensation until the insurer gives in, failure to which they may face penalties for ignoring your woes.
You Have a Hard Time Valuing Your Claim
Nothing can take things back to how they were before a personal injury. But getting compensation for the damages brings you a step closer to getting back on your feet. The compensation includes medical bill expenses, financial losses due to lost wages, and payment for the pain and suffering.
The challenge comes in valuing your claim to ensure that you get what you deserve. You must be knowledgeable about personal injury laws to make an accurate valuation of the damages. And an attorney is precisely what you need to ease the process.
The lawyer will evaluate your medical bills for the already incurred expenses. They will also estimate any future expenses relating to the injuries. For instance, you may need personal care or in-home health care after an accident.
You also need help with chores before fully recovering, not to forget the regular visits to the clinic.
All these expenses plus lost wages are combined to determine the favorable compensation. Valuing physical, mental, and emotional pain is much challenging. A lawyer understands which aspects to consider when calculating the value of suffering damages.
Your Case Is Complex
Some personal injury cases are more complex than others. They involve multiple parties and, in some instances, government entities.
Navigating through such claims by yourself is daunting. You are likely to make mistakes that hinder your chances of getting favorable compensation. You will benefit from a personal injury attorney’s expertise.
For instance, a product liability case demands expert evidence to show that, indeed, the consumed product was defective. You must also show who is liable for the injury and that the defective goods caused your suffering.
The same applies if your claim involves a government entity. The claims feature special laws that only an expert can handle.
Let a lawyer take over your case to prove how the parties are liable for your pain.
Low Settlement Offer
If you feel that the insurer’s settlement offer is too low, it will help if you seek the assistance of a law expert.
As earlier mentioned, the insurer is not on your side. They aim to make money from you and will issue the lowest settlement offer. The urge to get fast cash may push you to accept the offer, only to regret it later when you realize that the funds cannot cater to even half of the incurred expenses.
A personal injury attorney will use their negotiation skills to get you the most deserved payment.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney to Reduce Chances of Losing
Should I find a personal injury lawyer? The answer to this question depends on the severity of your injuries and the complexity of your case. Don’t wait until it’s too late to contact a personal injury attorney to represent you in your claim.
Note that the statutes of limitations outline deadlines for filing lawsuits. Contacting a lawyer sooner will save you from missing deadlines and losing your legal rights. An attorney will save your time and help you get the highest value compensation.
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