Are you on the fence about hiring a personal injury attorney? After all, how hard can it be to fill out some paperwork and answer a few questions? Even a relatively minor car accident can turn into a complicated case.
Are you sure you understand the ins and outs of personal injury law enough to guide your claim to a successful conclusion? The benefits of partnering with a personal injury lawyer can extend beyond receiving legal guidance. If you’re not sure if you need a personal injury attorney, here are some advantages you may not have considered.
Your Attorney Understands the Law
Personal injury law is kind of like a huge umbrella covering all types of accident claims. Everything from a vehicle accident to a slip-and-fall to medical malpractice and product liability falls under personal injury law guidelines.
The rules for each type of personal injury claim can vary. For example, proving negligence is crucial in a vehicle accident claim but may not be necessary in a product liability case. Some attorneys also specialize in a specific type of personal injury claim, and this can help level the playing field, especially if the insurance adjuster also has a good understanding of the law.
Impressive Negotiating Skills
Your personal injury claim starts by contacting the at-fault party’s insurance provider. From there you fill out the paperwork, attach your supporting evidence, and send everything off for review by an insurance adjuster.
You cross your fingers and hope everything goes smoothly, and this means learning that your settlement check is on its way. Unfortunately, this isn’t how most personal injury claims play out.
There’s a good chance you’re going to end up in negotiations and this is often where the insurance adjuster excels. The insurance adjuster is used to negotiate for a lower settlement. Sometimes, it’s simply wearing the claimant down until they finally accept the lower offer in defeat.
Guess what? Your personal injury attorney is also a skilled negotiator, sometimes better than the insurance adjuster. You may find yourself sitting through a few rounds of negotiations. This is normal but at least the insurance company is considering offering you a higher settlement.
You may not receive the full value of your personal injury claim but your attorney can negotiate for a fair settlement. This way, you’re not left with any outstanding damages stemming from the accident.
You’re Now Ready For Trial
Some personal injury claims turn into lawsuits and this is definitely when you want to have legal representation. Have you ever heard the adage that only a fool will represent himself in court? There’s a lot of truth to this saying.
Even though your personal injury lawsuit is being heard in civil and not criminal court, it’s still not a good idea to represent yourself.
You may lose focus during a cross-examination or even during your opening statements. Your emotions can easily add to your confusion. Don’t forget about meeting filing deadlines. If you miss a court-imposed deadline you may automatically lose your case.
A personal injury attorney is ready if your claim is headed to civil court: the lawyer is familiar with the legal process, including keeping up with all court deadlines. Since your attorney isn’t as emotionally involved in the case as you are, they’re less likely to make mistakes.
If you’re worried about affording an attorney for a personal injury lawsuit, most work on a contingency fee basis. This means there aren’t any upfront costs. Instead, you pay your personal injury attorney an agreed-upon percentage of your settlement.
Help Maximize Your Claim’s Value
Remember how insurance companies will try to offer you a ridiculously low settlement? Even after your attorney negotiates an acceptable settlement, it’s still probably less than your claim’s original value.
To help ensure your settlement is more than enough to cover your damages, including any contingency fees, your attorney can help maximize the value of your claim. Don’t worry, this isn’t an illegal or unethical practice. Your attorney also isn’t padding your claim with meaningless damages. Instead, a personal injury attorney helps ensure you’re not omitting any recoverable losses like your non-economic damages.
Your non-economic damages are things like your mental anguish, pain, suffering, and loss of life enjoyment to name a few. These damages can significantly increase the value of a personal injury claim.
Hopefully, all of these reasons help show why you should partner with a personal injury attorney. If you’re still not sure if your claim is complex enough to warrant legal guidance, it still doesn’t hurt to have a lawyer review your claim.
