When Does It Make Sense to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
Approximately 1.3 million people die in car accidents every year! Many of these accidents could have been avoided.
However, thankfully many people survive. Whether you have been injured on the job or in an accident, there often comes a time when it is in your best interest to hire a personal injury lawyer.
When you’re in the middle of a case, it can all be very confusing and you may be wondering if you are justified in hiring a lawyer.
Certain signs will tell you that you need to hire a personal injury attorney. Here’s a closer look at some of the main signs you need legal services.
You are Seriously Injured
If you have a serious injury, you’re likely going to need the help of a personal injury attorney. The job of your attorney is to ensure that you get compensated for any damages to property or any personal injury you may have sustained.
If you’re suffering from any type of disability from your accident it is a good idea to hire an attorney as well. Whether your disability is permanent or temporary, a serious injury requires expert legal help
An injury claim can become complicated depending on who is involved. For example, if you were involved in an accident with a trucker, determining who is liable can sometimes be tricky. Sometimes the truck driver is not the one who will be liable.
It may be the company they work for or even the person who loads the vehicle. Hiring an attorney to help you in complicated cases will ensure that you are properly compensated.
Liability is in Question
When liability is in question in a case of personal injury you will need to get an attorney. Once there isn’t a clear conclusion about who was responsible for the accident you need to make sure that you have an attorney on your side, so you can prove that you are innocent.
If someone else is at fault then your attorney will assist you with proving that you are not responsible for the accident.
Proving your innocence will often take a lot of documents. Your attorney will be able to get police records, accident reports, and even eyewitness testimony so that all this evidence can be put together to clear your name.
All of this may be even more necessary if you are involved in a pedestrian accident. A case like this can be difficult to prove in terms of liability. You can read more now so that you have a better understanding of how this may impact your case.
Negotiating With the Insurance Company
Insurance companies and their negotiators often make a personal injury settlement with them very challenging. This is because they would rather pay less than more. Evading compensation is not uncommon.
If you go into negotiations with them without an attorney who has your best interest at heart, you may end up settling for less than you deserve. When you’re a victim of personal injury you need to make sure that you are getting your full compensation.
Having an attorney by your side makes it less likely that insurers will try to manipulate the negotiations.
Pay Only When You Settle
In most cases, you will not need to pay your personal injury attorney if you don’t win your case. Most personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis.
This means that there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. Your attorney will be highly invested in presenting your case in the best way possible so that you can get compensation as well.
You can ask your attorney about what percentage of the settlement they will take once you win the case. Make sure that you are comfortable with the amount that your attorney is taking before you hire them for your case.
The Case Is Going to Trial
If the case goes to trial you will need to hire an attorney. As mentioned before, personal injury cases are complicated and the other party may refuse to settle at a fair compensation price. If you have an attorney they will be there for you if you go to trial.
You can go to trial on your own without an attorney but choosing to represent yourself is usually a bad idea. There are so many legal loopholes that the other party’s lawyers can use against you, if you don’t have an attorney that understands the legalities of the matter, you will run into problems.
The bottom line is that representing yourself would mean that you would need to buckle down and study the law for yourself. If you have been injured in a personal injury accident, it is always best to focus on getting better and leave legal compensation to professionals.
Hire the Right Personal Injury Attorney
Hiring a personal injury attorney is something that you should take seriously. The legal services that a good attorney can provide are invaluable. If your case is a complicated one, having an attorney by your side while you negotiate is critical.
Failure to properly present your case can mean that you do not get the compensation you deserve. You may even end up not getting any compensation at all.
The best way to prevent all of this from happening is by hiring a lawyer to help you win your case. If you would like more legal tips, please visit the personal injury section of the website.
