If you have incurred an injury due to a car accident, motorcycle wreck, or any mishap, you might be wondering if you need to hire a personal injury lawyer or not. An experienced personal injury attorney such as Greene & Reid can help you through legal matters.
Your decision depends on several important situations, which will help you gauge whether you need counsel or not.
1. If you have sustained serious or severe injuries.
Not every type of injury requires a lawyer. If you have incurred minor injuries, you can work on legal and insurance claims by yourself. You might be able to settle claims on your own. When your injury comes with pain that lasts for more than a few days, and when it necessitates medical care, you need to consider getting a lawyer.
If your injuries require hospitalization, physical therapy, surgery, rehabilitation, orthopedics, chiropractic work, or cosmetic surgery, you will need to have a lawyer evaluate your case. Claims involving a substantial amount of medical expenses (both past and future) can be significantly increased, especially when an excellent attorney represents you.
2. If you believe that the other party is negligent.
Having a personal injury lawyer would be beneficial if you believe that the death of your loved one or your injury resulted from another person’s negligence. When you want to prove legal fault, you have to apply particular standards towards the evidence. To strengthen claims, a lawyer should be consulted immediately to gather and preserve important evidence.
3. If there is a representative from the insurance company contacting you.
To minimize losses, insurance companies hire claims representatives and adjusters. They employ them to reduce the amount of money they have to shell out for injury claims. If an insurance representative asks you for medical records, recorded statements, your story, releases, and other types of information, tell them you are communicating with a lawyer.
Adjusters or representatives usually try to get you to state things that are harmful to your claim. It is important to note that signing releases should never be done without having them reviewed by an attorney. These releases usually ask for authorizations giving them the ability to dig through your entire medical history. They do this because they can actually blame the injury on certain pre-existing incidents, which might lead to a significant reduction in your claim.
Adjusters usually contact you because they believe you probably possess a valid claim. They need to dig into more information to help them minimize payouts or even deny it altogether. This scenario is true, and it’s best for you to hire a lawyer to protect your claims.
4. If you are not comfortable and knowledgeable with regards to the legal process.
If you handle the case on your own, you need to understand the law and settlement processes. To receive a fair settlement amount, you need to have excellent negotiation skills. In addition, you need to have knowledge of the case law and statutory laws. There are situations wherein injury cases are complex. For example, car accidents may necessitate witness interviews, accident reconstruction, and knowledge of physics.
If you’re not knowledgeable and comfortable with regards to the entire process, you will need the help of a personal injury lawyer. The attorney will have the necessary knowledge and experience to help win your case. The worth of your case is comprised of both economic and noneconomic losses. Lawyers can help negotiate compensation for both intangible and economic losses.
5. If the insurance company refuses to pay.
There are good reasons to get insurance. It’s natural that you would want to protect yourself and your loved ones in case something happens. You would like to believe that the insurance company is always aligned with your interests.
However, some companies utilize dirty tactics to avoid paying out claims. These include offering an unreasonably low amount and using delaying tactics in the claims process. Experienced personal injury lawyers have dealt with these situations before. They can help end these tactics and give you just compensation for your losses.
6. If the company is disputing the insured person’s liability.
Sometimes, it is evident that the accident was caused by the negligence of the other party. However, even when this is the case, the insurance company might dispute liability. They do this to make you believe that your claim is not valid. Or they implement such tactics to make you think that your claims are worth significantly less than what you believe. When the insurance company is disputing the liability of the insured, it is necessary to seek the help of a lawyer. The attorney can help gather the evidence required to prove liability. In this way, you can opt for a settlement, or you can proceed to trial.
In Conclusion
Some situations necessitate a lawyer, while some cases don’t. It is essential to be aware of the situations above to help you make an informed decision as to whether you should hire a personal injury lawyer or not.
To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.