When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury lawyers are hired when you get injured. They can help you with the issue of making a claim for compensation for your injury. A personal injury lawyer protects you against insurance claim companies which work towards paying unfair compensation. The lawyer has a wealth of knowledge and experience and will always help safeguard your interest.
You will need a personal injury lawyer when you need:
1. Fair representation in court to help in settlement claims
The personal injury lawyer works towards your interest. He will use all the available resources and experience to ensure that you get fair compensation. He is better placed to secure compensation. Your personal injury lawyer knows the court process quite well and could help ensure timely compensation.
2. When the injured person suffers injuries that permanently affect their life
Some injuries leave the affected person permanently disabled or incapacitated. The person may need help to follow up on the claim for compensation. A personal injury lawyer takes up the case to assist the injured person in getting compensation from the insurance company.
In some cases, the injured person cannot be able to communicate. The family hires a personal injury lawyer to facilitate the claims compensation on behalf of the injured person.
Insurance companies will fight very hard to compensate for permanent injuries. This is because such injuries are compensated in millions of dollars. The injuries led to the claimant being unable to work again for the rest of their life. These could be traumatic accidents that cause disability.
In such cases, a personal injury lawyer does the documentation. The lawyer shows how this injury has permanently affected the claimant to maximize the compensation value. Without such interventions by a personal injury lawyer, claimants get little compensation. They then live a miserable life since they do not have enough resources to sustain them.
3. Hire a personal injury lawyer when you don’t know whether you will be compensated
Many people fail to receive compensation due to ignorance. They do not seek compensation claims because they are unaware they can be compensated. It is, therefore, crucial to seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer. He will shed light on whether the injury can be compensated. He may then give advice on how to go about the claim.
A personal injury lawyer will assess damages, loss of property, income, body organs, etc., to advise on the level of compensation.
The level of compensation for an injury will depend on the following:
- The severity of the injury
- Effect on your income
- Whether you were part of the accident
- Medical expenses and care
- Your recovery, rehabilitation and the future after the injury etc.
4. When there is contention on who is liable for the accident
Before any compensation, you need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person or entity caused the injury. Failure to prove the culpability of the other person may lead to non-payment of compensation.
You will therefore need a personal injury lawyer. The lawyer provides the burden of proof that the injury resulted from negligence on the part of the other party.
After a thorough investigation and acquiring enough evidence, the attorney makes a case of liability on the part of the other party.
5. When the insurance company blames the injured for the accident
The insurance company always seeks a way to avoid compensation since it is a cost on their part. They may pin the blame on the injured person to evade compensation for the claim or to pay little amount. The injured may find themselves cornered and unable to argue their case. The attorneys representing the insurance companies don’t care about the welfare of the injured person. Their job is to protect the interest of their client.
They may bring in contributory negligence allegations to show that the injured person was partially responsible for their injuries. In case of a road accident, they may claim that the injured person was over-speeding, which caused the accident. If contributory negligence allegations are proven, the injured person can only get half of the compensation for their claim.
When in such a situation, it is crucial to seek the services of a personal injury lawyer. They will argue out your case to squash such allegations.
6. The injury is expected to cost a lot of medical expenses
When an injury or accident occurs, and someone is injured, it is recommended that the person receive medical attention immediately. It is a precautionary measure since the person may have suffered severe internal injuries. Secondly, delay in taking the injury to receive medical attention may lead to a lack of compensation. A doctor will make a prognosis to ascertain the medical attention required.
At times, the injury is so severe that medical insurance may not cover all the expenses. It leaves the injured person with a medical treatment burden that is difficult to manage. In such a case, it is crucial to hire a personal injury lawyer to file a compensation claim.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer helps the injured person to get compensation. One may be compensated for the injury, lost income both now and in the future, current and future treatment and medical care.
The compensation may help the injured person to start some income-generating project. It may also help cater for their medical needs after the injury.
Final Thought
To hire or not to hire a personal injury lawyer is a decision that lies with the injured person. But there is no doubt that personal injury lawyers play a crucial role in claims settlement. Some of their roles include:
- Collection, evaluation and documentation of important information about the case
- Ensure that the legal proceedings for the claim are initiated within the stipulated time as defined by the statute of limitation.
- Ensure that the proper procedures are followed for the claim to go through fast.
- They provide legal advice as it pertains to your case.
- File all the paperwork for your claim
- Handle insurance companies in negations on your behalf.
- Research for crucial evidence that could give your case an advantage or leverage.
