Injured in an Accident? You May Need Help from a Personal Injury Lawyer
Injured in an Accident? You May Need Help from a Personal Injury Lawyer
When an accident happens, the resulting injuries can be painful and expensive. The shock from the incident, the rising medical and other expenses, and the missed wages can have an adverse impact on your mental health.
Being a victim of an auto or other accident due to someone else’s negligence is highly unfortunate. You should, however, seek justice by working with an experienced personal injury lawyer, who will be able to guide you through the complex legal maze.
Only a skilled lawyer will prudently consult medical personnel and investigators to gather sufficient proof of the accident. He/she will ensure that you receive justice as well as a fair compensation for your ordeal.
When Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Understanding personal injury laws can be complex. Some victims may not even know that it is important to hire a lawyer who has experience in handling such cases in their state of residence. Only a local lawyer will be well-versed with the laws applicable in your specific state. A victim from Illinois, for instance, stands to benefit if he or she works with an Illinois personal injury lawyer.
If you’re wondering when you might need the support of a personal injury lawyer, we’ll explain right away. It makes sense to engage one in the following circumstances:
You’ve Suffered a Serious Injury or a Permanent Disability
If you’ve sustained serious injuries in an accident or acquired a serious ailment due to someone else’s negligence, you should speak to a lawyer immediately. You don’t want to be dealing with a lifetime of suffering and medical bills, without being compensated for them.
Moreover, if you have suffered a serious injury that will need long-term care or a permanent disability, working with a skilled lawyer will help you prevent the financial stresses that come with it.
It is always a good idea to at least consult a personal injury attorney about your case. First consultations are usually free of cost.
Multiple Parties are Involved
When multiple people, even from the same family, sustain serious injuries due to someone else’s negligence, it becomes important to speak to an attorney. These kind of cases can be highly complex to deal with, and working with a seasoned attorney can prove fruitful.
Even if you were injured in an accident that involved multiple parties, consulting a personal injury lawyer can be helpful. Lawyers are experienced in dealing with multiple insurance companies simultaneously. Their skills can help build a case that protects your interests and rights, while getting you the compensation you deserve.
You Don’t Know Who Is at Fault
If you were in an accident and aren’t clear who was responsible for it, you should certainly speak to a lawyer. In cases like this, the other party’s insurance company will most certainly implicate you for the crash and blame you for damages. Your attorney will put up a strong defense to protect your rights and shield you from false claims.
The Insurance Company Won’t Cooperate
All insurance companies know that the layman has little-to-no understanding of the complex personal injury laws and the associated procedures. They often take undue advantage of this and deny legitimate claims filed by victims.
Attempts may be made by insurance companies to gradually beat the injured party into submission by repeatedly denying their claim. They understand that victims need money to pay for the rising expenses, and offer a minimum amount as compensation. This amount is usually nowhere near the compensation you actually deserve. If this happens to you, consult a personal injury lawyer without wasting time.
The Various Reports Are Confusing You
Victims of personal injury are required to stay on top of the accident report, the police report, the insurance report, and several medical records. Know that conflicting information in any of these can result in a considerably low compensation or the outright denial of your claim.
If you find any conflicting information in your documents, it is best to consult an attorney at the earliest.
How an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You
Mentioned ahead are a few reasons why working with a personal injury lawyer can be helpful.
Assessing Claims
Seasoned personal injury attorneys are experienced in dealing with all types of cases on a daily basis. They can easily gauge your matter and tell you right at the beginning whether or not you stand to gain anything significant by taking legal action. This makes sense because if the chances of winning your case are low, you can avoid the time and costs associated with litigation.
Tackling Complex Processes
Personal injury cases entail complicated legal procedures, the use of confusing medical terms, and copious amounts of documentation. An attorney will be able to help you by tackling all the tasks crucial to resolving your claim, thereby allowing you to focus on getting better. Your lawyer will likely ask you to provide him/her with all the documents related to your injury when you have a meeting.
Bringing Objectivity
Victims of personal injury often experience emotions such as anger, frustration, and fear. This may affect the ability to see facts for what they are. An attorney, on the other hand, takes a more objective view of the case facts and only then arrives at a decision.
Even if you’re tempted to accept a quick and low payout, for instance, your lawyer will advise you to wait for an appropriate offer, thereby upholding your interests.
Getting the Necessary Medical Help
It helps to mention your personal injury lawyer’s name as your emergency contact in your documents so he/she is the first to know in case something happens to you. The sooner he/she gets a call, the better medical treatment you stand to receive.
Further, if your attorney deals with medical malpractice cases, he/she can ensure you receive proper and necessary treatment. The biggest advantage is that he/she can begin the process of filing your personal injury claim against those at fault while you recuperate.
Team of Investigators
Most attorneys work with a team of investigators who specialize in certain legal areas. These investigators will thoroughly review the technical aspects of your case. They will also ask you several questions about your injury. You can help them by providing all the important details truthfully.
Efficient Negotiation Skills
After the accident and the filing of your personal injury claim, the at-fault party’s insurance company may try and get in touch with you to bargain and lower the compensation amount. These representatives can be highly persuasive and even aggressive with the aim of influencing you to accept whatever they offer you.
Negotiating with them can be challenging, which is why having an experienced lawyer by your side can be extremely beneficial and result in a higher compensation.
Knowledge of ADR Methods
Not every case needs to be lengthy and stressful to resolve. Your lawyer will know about the most suitable way to work through your case, which can involve alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods, such as arbitration and mediation. These methods can help you save time, money, and effort.
Experience of Dealing with Other Lawyers
An expert personal injury lawyer will know how to deal most effectively with the other party’s attorney and decode the legal tactics employed by him/her. This is especially crucial during the investigation and fact-finding phase of the litigation when the parties involved exchange case-related facts and documents.
Handling Insurance Companies
Because a personal injury attorney is accustomed to working and negotiating with insurance companies on a regular basis, he/she will not be intimidated or confused by their maneuvers. He/she will not rest until you have received a fair compensation.
Best Settlements and Jury Verdicts
Numerous personal injury cases are resolved through negotiations and settlement rather than court trial. A settlement is arrived at when the victim gives up the right to sue the at-fault party in exchange for a suitable payment as compensation. A personal injury attorney’s job is to negotiate the best possible settlement and resolve the case.
If, however, the case must go to trial, the lawyer can represent you in court and fight on your behalf to win the most favorable verdict. Accordingly, he/she may devise a robust legal strategy to help you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Conclusion
Being in a serious accident can lead to intense physical and mental trauma, and even fatalities. The last thing a victim would want to deal with in this stressful time is following up on personal injury claims. If you’ve suffered injuries from being in a car or other accident, it is necessary to seek help from an experienced personal injury lawyer and make sure you receive justice and compensation-related matters are dealt with properly. Only a skilled lawyer will consult medical experts and investigators to collect proof of your suffering and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. In short, having an expert personal injury lawyer by your side to handle the complexities of your case can bring you the much-needed peace of mind and allow you to focus on getting better.
At Dixon Law Office, we are in the business of helping our clients get the justice they deserve. We do this by listening to our clients and then fighting hard to get them the compensation they deserve.
If other lawyers have told you “You have no case,” call Dixon Law Office. We can evaluate your case and tell you how we can help you. It is what we do for you. Because when everything goes wrong, we make it right.