Why You Should Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve suffered a personal injury in an accident caused by negligence, carelessness, or recklessness, it’s important you connect with an attorney who can pursue an insurance claim on your behalf. Here are four reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer:

1. You’ve Suffered a Significant Injury

Let’s use a car accident as an example:

If just your car was damaged (there were no injuries) and the insurance company is handling it, you probably don’t need an attorney.

However, the situation is much different if you’ve suffered an injury requiring medical attention. Insurance companies will try to limit their exposure by minimizing your injuries. And you may not realize the full extent of the damage you’ve suffered because symptoms can sometimes take weeks or even months to manifest.

2. You’re Being Pressured to Settle

If an insurance company is keen to offer a financial settlement to you, it should give you pause. An insurance adjuster is not looking out for your best interests. That doesn’t mean they are bad people. It’s just that it’s not their job to reach a fair outcome for you. Their job is to settle the case as cheaply as possible for the insurance company.

They understand the law, and they know that you probably don’t. They also know that cases where the other party has legal representation almost always end in higher settlement figures. If they get you to sign a settlement agreement before you talk to a lawyer and before any more injuries become apparent, it’s a win for the insurance company.

3. You Need a Stronger Negotiating Position

Negotiating with a large, savvy entity like an insurance company requires two things: an understanding of the legal position of both parties and a willingness to call their bluff.

Without a legal background, you may have claims you don’t even know about, or you may underestimate the strength of your case. The insurance company will use this to its advantage.

Your strongest leverage is that the insurance company doesn’t want to go to trial. Trials are expensive, and the outcome is uncertain. If you don’t have a lawyer, however, they know you probably won’t really take the case to trial, so they have little incentive to negotiate in earnest.

4. You Only Pay If You Win

Many people will avoid hiring an attorney because they think it would be too expensive. However, almost all personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means the attorney is paid a percentage of the final settlement sum. The client pays no hourly fees and no fee at all if they lose their case.

A contingency fee arrangement allows people to have access to legal representation even if they don’t have thousands of dollars to pay a retainer. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer is free and carries no risk.

Talk to a Lawyer Today

If you think you may need a personal injury lawyer, the chances are you probably do. Scheduling a consultation with us means you can discuss your case with one of our experienced attorneys. They can offer an evaluation of your situation and a concrete plan for moving forward. Contact our office today to get started.