Many people have their doubts about retaining legal representation. Perhaps because they think it’s too expensive, or because they assume that hiring a lawyer is more effort than it’s worth. These are two misconceptions that can lead people to accept low settlements on their personal injury claims. As a matter of fact, an attorney can provide a number of services that not only help maximize compensation, but that also help reduce stress level in the process. And since many attorneys take their fee out of the final settlement, you generally don’t have to worry about losing money up front.
Collecting Evidence
Filing a claim can be a rather complicated process, requiring you to hunt down loads of documents pertaining to your medical history, your job, your injuries, your overall mental health and anything else that can help build a narrative of the accident and the resultant expenses. The more relevant data you have, the tighter and stronger your case will be when the time comes to negotiate your claim. This thorough investigation can be extremely daunting when carried out alone. An attorney can take on this burdensome task and thus effectively lower your stress-level. After all, when you’re injured, you don’t want to worry about tracking down and organizing piles of documents. Instead, you want to be convalescing, aiming to get better as soon as possible.
The attorney’s investigation may involve taking pictures of the scene of the accident, interviewing witnesses of the incident and gathering pertinent evidence to help paint a picture of the event. Basically, you and your lawyer want to determine the precise cause of the injury, so that it is clear who is liable. In addition, during the course of the investigation, an attorney will likely research what is covered by your (or the defendant’s) insurance company – a process that can be excruciatingly difficult.
Negotiating a Claim
A lawyer can also be helpful when it comes to actually negotiating a claim. Once again, some people think they can handle this on their own. But since insurance companies have extensive resources and experience at their disposal, it can be very difficult to go head-to-head with such an entity. For instance, a company might offer you a low settlement right out of the gate, just to save money, knowing full well that a lot of people are inclined to accept the initial offer. An attorney is privy to these tricks and other similar maneuvers, as they have negotiated with insurance adjusters in the past. Thus, they know when an offer is too low and will push the insurance company to offer a fair amount.
And because an experienced attorney has spent time in court, an insurance company will be more open to negotiation. This is because insurance companies know that a skilled lawyer is willing to file a suit. And to avoid fees, the company will probably want to keep the claim out of court.
Moreover, if it’s relevant to your case, a lawyer can help you calculate pain and suffering damages. This can be very difficult, since pain and suffering (or noneconomic) damages are, by their very nature, intangible, and thus hard to quantify.
Thus, an attorney can use his experience and know-how to help increase the value of your claim, so that you receive a just compensation.
Knowledge of the Law
Of course, personal injury lawyers are also very knowledgeable about the relevant laws and civil procedures and can use this knowledge to give you the edge you need to recover your losses. Since every jurisdiction is different from the next, it pays to work with a local attorney. An attorney can use his legal knowledge to fill you in on some aspects of your situation that are less obvious and thus give you a sense of any viable options. And as the process continues, your attorney can be there every step of the way, filling you in on the finer points of the law – specifically, the statutes that pertain to your case.
In the end, you make the decisions. But a lawyer can be a major asset, helping you make the best possible decisions along the way. So if you’ve been injured at no fault of your own, you should seek out the guidance of a skilled personal injury lawyer.
