Reading Time: 7 minutes Reasons Why You Should Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo about legal issues.
At one point or the other, you may get into a crisis, and it’s best to know how to go about it. In this case, it is getting injured in an accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver, and you are seeking compensation to cater to your medical bills and other related expenses.
Note that after an accident occurs, you will get lots of paperwork from the involved insurance companies, which can be quite overwhelming. You will have to sign forms, produce medical records, and give statements to help the insurance companies do their investigation. This is something you wouldn’t want to do alone.
A personal injury lawyer can help you fight for your case and get rightful compensation.
Benefits of hiring a personal injury attorney
They Have Good Negotiation Skills
When negotiating the amount of compensation you should receive, the other party will always want to outdo you and offer you less than you deserve. Since you’re dealing with their lawyer or insurance representative, they will try to drive a hard bargain that will be hard for you to win.
A personal injury lawyer will keep your best interests at heart and help you win what is rightfully yours. A lawyer will persuade the insurance company to pay the equivalent to your injuries.
They Will Help You Get Quality Medication
If you inform your injury attorney immediately after you get an injury, you can be sure of getting quality medical attention. They could be knowing medical practitioners that will give you keen treatment for your injuries. Of course, it will contribute to a speedy recovery, and in court cases, the doctors can be your witness.
They Will Keep Your Payment Claim on Track
Sometimes you may be too busy to remember to file your injury claims paperwork in time. A personal injury attorney will keep an eye on the procedures and timings to ensure that things go on within the set time. Your claim will be on the right track, which is vital to ensure the company settles it faster.
You Are Sure to Get Peace of Mind
The process of seeking compensation after an accident can be daunting and time-consuming at the same time. A personal injury attorney’s help will save you a lot of time by following up on everything. You will be less stressed to focus on healing and recovering what you lost.
They Can Speed up Your Injury Claim
If you decide to fully recover from your injuries before you start seeking compensation, getting a full settlement can take much longer since the case will be long overdue. A lawyer will begin the process of pursuing your claim while you’re still recovering. Since lawyers have experience from previous issues, they can easily predict the challenges they might face. They know the correct steps to take to overcome those setbacks.
They Can Help You Bring Legal Proceedings Against Your Offenders
If the offending party is adamant about fulfilling your compensation claims, the best action you can take is to go to court. Sometimes even if your injury claim is legal, the other lawyers can win the case against you, especially if you don’t have one.
Hiring a personal injury attorney will neutralize the playing field. The legal representation from your lawyers can help you get the most out of the case. They will gather and produce all evidence you’d want to win your claim.
They Can Help Your Family In The Event Of Death
A personal injury attorney can act on behalf of your family if your injuries result in your death. If your injury and death have been caused by negligence on your employer’s part, your attorney can execute a lawsuit.
If the plaintiff’s cause of death is unrelated to the underlying personal injury claim, then there is no cause for a wrongful death claim.
A personal injury lawsuit can only be considered if the injured party dies. This is usually called a “Survival Action”. This type of lawsuit allows members of the deceased, injured person’s family to pursue a wrongful death case.
In this event, your attorney will calculate any losses due to suffering by the deceased at the time of their injury will only be paid up until the date of the plaintiff’s death.
When considering progressing this form of legal action, you must also research the rules for Wrongful Death Lawsuits in your particular state, as this varies dramatically from state to state. It would be best to discuss this with either a lawyer or legal attorney before proceeding with any further actions.
Consider your well-being and health, as these types of cases can be extremely stressful.
They Will Help You go About Choosing the Best Option for Filing Your Claim
If you’re unfamiliar with the process of following up on a personal injury claim, it may take a long time. There are usually two ways you can approach it; filing a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim. Court action should be the last thing you think about because they can take longer. A personal injury lawyer will advise you on what action to take, depending on your situation.
Tips for Hiring a Quality Personal Injury Lawyer
To get reasonable compensation for your injury or loss, you must get yourself a good personal injury lawyer who will fight to ensure full payment. You will not like to spend more on a lawyer who will not deliver the goods, so you need to know how to choose a good lawyer.
Here are a few tips to guide you in your selection;
Experience
The essential quality of getting an excellent personal injury is their level of experience. You need to get yourself a lawyer who knows what to look for and where to get it, preferably one who has successfully dealt with a similar case before. An experienced lawyer will be the difference between the negotiation and settlement. Your lawyer should prove the amount of experience he has in dealing with personal injury cases, how many similar cases he has handled successfully, and his grasp of knowledge in personal injury settlement laws.
Personality
It is often an overlooked factor when hiring a personal injury lawyer but can be the cause of a peaceful and relaxed case or a frustrating and stressful one. The last thing you want during a court case is an absentee lawyer. You need someone who will be available to update your case and answer any questions regarding the matter.
A person who gives you time is a quality attorney to have in your corner. When meeting your lawyer for the interview, make sure the one in attendance is the one handling your case. If someone cannot give you two minutes of their time before hiring, then you can’t expect them to be available for you during the case.
Ethics and Morals
An ethical attorney gives you confidence on the negotiation table. You should be comfortable with the lawyer’s moral values before hiring one. You wouldn’t want to disagree with your lawyer during the case. It is important to be united to get a decent settlement.
If your lawyer has a good reputation for being morally upright and doing things the right way, then you can be sure of a faster and bountiful settlement. Your lawyer’s reputation will play into the court’s and defendant’s perspective, giving you an edge in your claims.
Fees and Extra Charges
Transparency is vital in any financial transaction, and this also applies in this case. It is crucial to find out how much the injury lawyer is charging and any extra costs. You need to put this agreement into writing to prevent future conflict. Lawyers who charge a percentage of the settlement fee might be preferable to those who charge hourly. The commission lawyer will have to ensure you get a settlement for you to get paid. This is unlike the hourly attorney who gets paid whether they win or not.
Focus
If you are looking for the best personal injury attorney to hire, you should consider one who majored in personal injury cases. A personal injury lawyer has a unique set of skills that enable them to determine the value of your suit and settlement accurately. You should also make sure your lawyer is focused on the case and not looking to settle too quickly by accepting an undervalued payment.
Conclusion
In case of an injury, it is best to seek the help of a personal injury lawyer. This is to ensure you don’t get bullied at the negotiation table to accept a lower settlement. It is also essential to get yourself a qualified and professional lawyer to help you with your claims for the best settlement offer. A professional will fight for you as you recover from your injuries.
Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.