Are you looking to file a personal injury claim and receive compensation for physical or mental harm?
Perhaps you have been involved in a horrible car accident or have experienced an unfortunate fall at work. You may have even been the victim of medical malpractice. Whatever the case, you might be wondering whether or not you need the assistance of an attorney to file your claim.
More than ever, there are a variety of resources designed to help personal injury claimants negotiate their claims on their own. In most cases, however, you should lean on the expertise and experience of a personal injury attorney.
Here are 14 reasons why you should hire a lawyer for your personal injury claim.
1. They Know What Your Case Is Worth
The average person isn’t able to determine how much their case is actually worth without the help of a personal injury lawyer.
A personal injury attorney will sit down with you to discuss your entire situation—from the incident itself to your diagnosis to your medical records and more—in order to identify the amount of compensation you should seek.
When claim adjusters call and defense lawyers kick back settlement offers, your attorney will continue to work towards getting you fair compensation.
2. They Lighten The Workload
Personal injury claims are hard work. From reviewing police reports to requesting medical records to communicating with insurance companies, there are all sorts of tasks that need to be completed in order to keep a case moving forward.
Not only are personal injury lawyers aware of what needs to be done but they also benefit from having completed these types of tasks on other cases. While you might take an hour or more to complete a particular task, an experienced attorney might be able to complete that same task in a matter of minutes.
3. They Allow You To Focus On Recovery
One challenge that is unique to personal injury cases is having to juggling claims processing duties while also recovering from injuries.
Your health should be first priority—not compensation and not vindication. By handing the legal matters of a case off to a personal injury attorney, you can give your full attention to your medical treatment and recovery.
Of course, this will allow you to expedite the recovery process and make a stronger recovery overall. What’s more, records will show that you were diligent in getting medical treatment should you need to prove your case in court.
4. They Can Prevent Errors From Being Made
Those who lack the proper knowledge and experience to bring a personal injury claim may find that they are in over their heads.
Skipping a step, missing a deadline, or saying the wrong thing are all common mistakes—yet they are ones that can quickly derail your claim and cause you to forfeit the compensation you deserve.
An experienced personal injury lawyer will be aware of these types of mistakes, prevent you from making them, and ensure that your claim stays on track.
5. They Are Master Negotiators
Early on in the process, an insurance claim adjuster may contact you to discuss your claim and perhaps even a settlement. Of course, adjusters are trained to make low-ball offers and even deny compensation altogether—especially if you don’t have an attorney.
If you are offered a settlement at all, you may be eager to jump at the opportunity to receive quick compensation and avoid a trial. However, this could easily end up being a poor decision and you could be leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
While you may feel ill-equipped to go head-to-head with an insurance claim adjuster, a personal injury attorney will be able to negotiate a much larger settlement amount.
6. They Can Provide Objectivity
If you’ve experienced an injury that has caused you immense pain, trauma, or frustration, you are emotionally invested in your case. Of course, this can compromise your ability to remain objective and make sound decisions.
A personal injury attorney, while certainly invested in the case and its outcome, doesn’t share the same pain or trauma that you might be experiencing.
For this reason, they are able to approach the case more objectively, focus on the facts of the case, and prevent any rash decisions from being made.
7. They Do Not Charge A Fee Unless You Win
Many personal injury claimants avoid hiring legal counsel for fear that they will need to shell out a significant amount of money to do so—funds that they simply don’t have while they are also paying for treatment and perhaps unable to work.
Most personal injury attorneys charge a contingency fee, a percentage of the final settlement amount. The average contingency fee is 33%, though an attorney may charge more or less depending on the complexity of the case and the likelihood of a winning outcome.
If you don’t win your case, you won’t owe your lawyer a penny. This also acts as an incentive for your lawyer to help you win!
8. They Can Help You Get A Larger Settlement
Those who hire personal injury attorneys to help with their claims typically receive more money in their settlements.
The reality is that claimants who try to navigate the claims process on their own can easily be taken advantage of by insurance claims adjusters and defenses. A personal injury lawyer, on the other hand, knows how to leverage your position and maximize your settlement amount.
To avoid missing out on the compensation that you might be due, get a personal injury attorney on board.
9. They Can Expedite The Process
When filing a claim, there are all sorts of deadlines that need to be met. As someone who is not familiar with these deadlines, you may struggle to keep up with all of these dates. Worse yet, you may fall behind to the point where your case or settlement is delayed.
For an experienced personal injury lawyer, these deadlines come as no surprise. In fact, your lawyer will already have a general idea of when certain tasks must be completed before the deadlines are even given.
An attorney can work quickly through various line items, execute each task by its deadline, and speed up the process so that you can close your case and receive your compensation sooner!
10. They Can Help You Get Quality Medical Treatment
Personal injury lawyers often have connections with medical practitioners due to the sheer number of cases they have worked on in the past.
As these doctors often serve as points of contact and witnesses during personal injury cases, a personal injury lawyer can often recommend a top-notch doctor or specialist from their own network of options.
If you hire a personal injury attorney shortly after your incident and are still looking for quality health care, ask your lawyer if they have any recommendations!
11. They Can Help You Settle Your Case And Avoid A Trial
Although 95% of personal injury cases are settled without ever going to trial, there is a small percentage of cases that are forced to go through the court system.
Personal injury cases typically go to trial when the defense doesn’t agree with the other party’s demands or when they believe that they can beat the other party in court. The at-fault party may feel more confident about their chances of winning if they see that you have no legal representation.
To avoid a lengthy trial and instead close your case as soon as possible, hire a personal injury attorney who can help you reach a fair settlement early on in the process.
12. They Can Help With Litigation
Issuing a demand letter and reaching a settlement is one thing. Taking the case to trial is an entirely different challenge.
If the at-fault party rejects your compensation claim, you will need to go through the court system—where you will most likely need to present your case and go head-to-head with a defense attorney.
Are you prepared to stand in court and go against a highly experienced defense attorney? The average person lacks the legal background, experience, and poise to be able to do this effectively.
The personal injury attorney, on the other hand, is well-equipped to present a convincing case, scrutinize the defense’s position, and deflect any attacks that come your way.
13. They Increase Your Chances Of Winning
Simply put, hiring a personal injury lawyer increases your chances of receiving compensation.
According to a 2017 Personal Injury Study from Martindale-Nolo, 91% of those who hired lawyers received payouts, while only 51% of those who didn’t hire lawyers received payouts.
Needless to say, hiring a personal injury attorney gives you a significant advantage!
14. They Can Give You Peace Of Mind
Given the stakes—which might include your physical health, your mental wellbeing, and your financial future—bringing a personal injury claim can be a stressful and even nerve-racking experience.
Simply having an experienced attorney on your team not only lightens your workload but also gives you a greater sense of confidence as the legal process plays out.
By having a personal injury lawyer do all of the legwork and represent you on all legal matters, you can rest assured that your case is in capable hands!