Millions of people suffer injuries from carelessness and negligence every year. Accidents are unpredictable, and no one wakes up thinking that they might slip on a wet salon floor and break their leg. If you suffer injuries due to another person’s mistake, you deserve compensation for damages caused.
Sometimes, the party at fault will willingly take responsibility and cater for expenses, but there are also the cases that are difficult: when the party doesn’t want to take responsibility for their actions, or denies that anything happened in the first place. If you face the latter, you will need to file a personal injury claim against them.
In case you decide to file the claim, you will have several options to choose from.
While you can decide to handle the injury claim independently, it is advisable to work with a personal injury attorney. Check crowelllawoffices.com for more help. Someone is wondering, why hire a lawyer when I can deal with the case on my own? To answer this question, let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a personal injury lawyer.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney?
Pros
1. They Have Experience in Dealing with Personal Injury Cases
As a victim, you might assume that personal injury cases are simple to win. However, it is quite different in reality. What do we mean by this? The truth is – personal injury claims are hard to win for several reasons. First and foremost, they are complicated because you have to prove liability. This means that you must have concrete evidence to show that the injuries you have suffered are directly related to the accident and that the other person was negligent. Although it might be clear to you that someone is guilty of his actions, you will need good proof that something happened to you, which is usually not something people expect when they first start the legal action.
Furthermore, proving liability becomes complicated for one more reason, and that is because personal injury laws differ with states. Also, the legal guidelines vary depending on the type of injury. That said, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to make your claim solid and valid.
Otherwise, you would need too much time, preparation and effort to be able to understand how things work, and it could easily turn into an overwhelming process. Finally, there is always a risk for you to make a mistake or miss out on something, since you don’t have any experience in the field.
2. An Attorney Will Advise You on What to Expect from the Claim
The main aim of filing an injury claim is to get compensation. To manage your expectations, your injury lawyer will advise you on what to expect. They can give an exact range because they have handled similar cases before. Why is this important? It is crucial to specify and discuss all the details beforehand, because you shouldn’t waste your time and money if you have unrealistic expectations. On the contrary, you might think that you can’t get any compensation, while your lawyer could provide you with useful information about the process and the chances of winning.
A reputable lawyer will bend over backwards to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. On the other hand, if a case will lead to a dead-end, an honest lawyer will advise you to drop it. Whichever the case is, it’s better to consult with someone who has a lot of experience in the field, and who can guide you every step of the way.
3. Negotiates for Compensation Only
If you feel like it, and if you and your lawyer find it convenient, you can settle your personal injury claim outside the court. This is possible if all the parties involved agree on the settlement amount. This is also a great benefit of having a personal injury lawyer by your side.
However, watch out for lawyers who push you to settle the matter out of court even if you are not satisfied, because they do not want to take the court route. In order to prevent this, make sure to maintain a good relationship with your lawyer and most certainly – communicate your needs at all times. If it seems like it’s wrong, then it probably is, and you need to find yourself another lawyer.
4. Saves Time
You might have valid reasons to handle the claim by yourself, but you will spend a lot of time and sadly, you might lose the case. This is something people usually trick themselves into.
By handling the case alone, you will have to prepare all the documents, reach out to witnesses, make submissions and manage all communications regarding the lawsuit. If this is your first time dealing with a case, it will take a toll on you. This is one of the biggest reasons why you should consider having a professional by your side.
Cons
1. Cost
The main reason why people fear hiring a personal injury attorney is because of the cost of hiring one. However, not all lawyers are expensive. Some people trust the hearsay of how expensive lawyers are without trying to get a quote.
Do not be afraid to approach an injury attorney because most personal injury attorneys work under contingency terms, where they get paid a percentage of your settlement, and only if you win a settlement. Other times, you can agree on a flexible payment plan. This means that no matter what your needs are and no matter the situation, you can always find an option that works for you, while being relaxed and prepared for either the negotiations or the legal action.
2. The Decision Making
People usually feel uncomfortable when they need to pick a lawyer or a law firm to help them out. Especially if there are numerous successful attorneys, and it’s only a matter of your personal preferences and your intuition. However, this shouldn’t be the reason not to hire a professional. Before you agree on starting the collaboration, you will be able to talk and see if the person in front of you is someone who you can trust and who is reliable. Most certainly, you will have plenty of time to decide whether you like them or not. After all, the most important thing you should focus on is choosing a reputable law office, and then all the other parts of the process will be nothing but simple.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
From the points above, it is clear that there are more pros than cons when deciding if to hire a personal injury lawyer. Working with a reputable lawyer gives you peace of mind to concentrate on recovery because you are sure your case is in good hands. Isn’t it what we all want?
