The ideal time to hire a personal injury lawyer is immediately following an accident that results in injuries due to another party’s negligence. Such accidents include car crashes, truck collisions, motorcycle accidents, slips, falls, and more.
A personal injury lawyer will evaluate your legal rights and start the process to get you compensation for your damages and losses. They handle every aspect of the legal process, which can be incredibly beneficial for you. However, injury victims will often hesitate to contact a personal injury lawyer for fear they will not get the money they deserve or will have to wait for years without a resolution while their case drags on. These are unfounded fears.
All personal injury claims are unique – some take much longer than others, and compensation can vary widely depending on the circumstances. Different claims require different courses of action, and you need a lawyer to navigate the process for the best possible outcome.
A lawyer will protect your best interests, especially against aggressive insurance companies fighting to lower your claim and deny you the right to compensation. While they cannot guarantee a specific amount or how far the case will go, they can manage your expectations and provide valuable information on your legal options. Do not wait to call a personal injury lawyer after you suffer a physical injury due to the negligent actions of another person.
After an accident
There are some clear signs that you will need to call a lawyer after an accident and injury, and you cannot ignore these signs. While you assume the insurance company will do right by you and your claim, they usually will not. Insurance companies are for-profit agencies that do not care about their clients but only their bottom lines. Insurance adjusters will get praise for saving the company money, which costs many unknowing claimants serious compensation.
The first defense against the insurance company’s tactics is hiring a personal injury attorney immediately following an injury. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to get the proper representation you need for your case, and you will miss out on the payment you need.
Additionally, the longer you wait to hire a lawyer, the weaker your case might be. When too much time passes, key evidence and witness testimony might become unusable or lost forever. You might also miss important deadlines. The sooner you seek legal help, the better.
Determining liability
In every case, no matter how obvious, you must prove the other person was liable for your injuries. Without proving liability, you have no case. While you might know in your heart that another party was to blame, it is not enough for a successful claim. Insurance companies will not simply take your word. You need a lawyer to gather evidence to prove liability for your accident.
Furthermore, the defendant’s insurance company or legal representative will work hard to place the blame on someone else, including you. They pay less or nothing when they successfully shift the blame. Your lawyer will challenge any attempts to blame you for your injuries.
There are incidents where liability is uncertain, and even the preliminary law enforcement investigation does not identify a possible liable party. Through an independent investigation, your lawyer can determine who the responsible party is and file a claim against them. Remember, liability is the most vital aspect of your claim; without it, you cannot get paid for your losses.
Multiple parties are in the accident
While liability can be contentious even when there are only two parties in an accident, it becomes even more complex when multiple parties are in the mix. Common cases with numerous parties follow multi-vehicle collisions, construction accidents, and product liability accidents.
You must have a personal injury lawyer when multiple parties might be liable for an accident. Facing one insurance company is challenging but facing several is insurmountable for injury victims. You cannot try to fight these parties alone.
In multiple-party claims, many different issues will develop with additional delays. The parties will begin arguing over who is at fault, but your lawyer will build a case that protects you.
One benefit is that having multiple liable parties can result in a higher settlement for the injury victim, but you must pursue multiple successful claims. While you must remain patient, your lawyer will inform you through every step of the process to ensure you know what is happening.
The nature of your injuries
You need to call a lawyer if you have a permanent disability like a traumatic injury. These injuries will far surpass the insurance policy limits. You can require ongoing medical care and suffer additional losses when you have a debilitating injury that will not allow you to work and earn any income. That means you will need to supplement the income in another form, and a personal injury lawsuit will include compensation for a loss of earnings.
Throughout your lifetime, you can incur millions in bills and losses. There will be various factors to consider to determine how much you can get for your future losses, such as your lifestyle, age, employment, and disability. Additionally, these losses are challenging to calculate without economic and financial experts. You will also need medical experts to address how the injury will hinder your life moving forward.
When you have a personal injury lawyer on your side, you do not need to worry about the calculations of your future losses. They can handle all of these concerns and ensure an accurate calculation. Even when the insurance company knows it should pay a claim, adjusters will try to lower the settlement and prevent injury victims from getting what they need for the future.
All this said, even cases involving relatively minor injuries that heal require professional legal help. Regardless of your injury type, always seek a consultation to determine whether a lawyer will take your case.
Filing Lawsuits
Even after negotiations with your injury attorney, some insurance adjusters refuse to offer a reasonable settlement. Your lawyer can escalate the matter by filing a personal injury lawsuit in civil court if this happens. Having a lawyer from the start sends the message that you are ready to pursue litigation if the insurance company is uncooperative in negotiations. The litigation process is complex, and many insurance companies will settle fairly to avoid a lawsuit.
Even though the insurance company does not want to pay for your losses and will do anything to lower a claim, there are some instances where the insurance company is acting in bad faith. The adjuster might attempt to delay the claim so much that it passes the statute of limitations and leaves you unable to take further legal action. Your lawyer can identify such unacceptable conduct and file a bad faith lawsuit against the insurer.
Some common examples of bad faith insurance actions are:
- Not paying a valid claim
- Failing to investigate
- False allegations of negligence
- Requiring unnecessary paperwork
- Misrepresenting the insurance policy
- Misleading a victim about their legal rights
These are just a few bad faith insurance claim examples. As a victim who is likely new to the legal process, you might not realize what the insurance company is doing. However, a personal injury lawyer knows insurance company tactics to deny claims and is ready to fight back. You need a lawyer to protect your legal rights and take legal action in the face of low settlement offers or bad faith conduct.
Need a Lawyer?
Reach out to the Lucas, Macyszyn, and Dyer Law Firm team to begin your consultation. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional case results and giving you the peace of mind you deserve.
A personal injury lawyer will seek full compensation
One of the key responsibilities and roles that a lawyer has is to get you compensation for all of your losses.
While each case is unique, some standard compensation you can obtain is:
- Loss of future income
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing medical treatment
- Time off work
- Prescription medication
You will need an injury law firm that knows how to decipher how much compensation you need for your specific injuries and losses. Even two occupants of the exact vehicle can suffer different injuries and obtain different amounts.
Legal experience
There are a few factors to consider when hiring a personal injury attorney. One of those factors is experience. You need an attorney and law firm that handles personal injury claims of your magnitude. A law firm must have an established history with these claims and know how to maneuver the insurance and court systems.
The attorney should have experience negotiating with insurance companies and filing legal documents. They must also have trial experience should the need arise. The legal experience of an injury lawyer is second to none and must be at the top of your list when seeking legal representation.
Handling important tasks
There are many necessary tasks for your case, and you cannot take these on alone. From meeting filing deadlines to working with specialists and talking to witnesses, the process is daunting. You will have to read through your insurance policy and know how to file a claim. Additionally, when the insurance company does not offer a sufficient amount, you will need someone to negotiate with them to get you a higher settlement.
Your focus is on healing from the injuries you suffer and getting back to your everyday life. The last thing you need to deal with is legal obstacles. While a personal injury law firm will keep you updated on what is happening and request information from you, the law firm will not overburden you with the legal process.
What to ask a potential lawyer
Looking for a lawyer might seem stressful, and you might not know where to start. The key is to find a lawyer you feel comfortable with to handle your future.
Ask as many questions as possible during an initial consultation to get a clear idea of the lawyer and the law firm. Remember, you do not know anything about the legal process, but they do. No one expects the accident victim to understand how a personal injury claim works, so it is customary to ask questions.
There are many lawyers, and you must find the right one for your case. While the personal injury umbrella is vast, ensure that the attorney you choose has experience with your specific injury and case. You can ask about their experience.
Another common question is whether you can win the case and how much you will get. You will not get an exact amount because there is no telling how any claim will result. A personal injury attorney can give you an idea of how the claim will go and what they will seek, but it will not be until much later that you can better understand what your claim is worth.
You can ask about the costs and fees that you will incur. Personal injury lawyers should take your case on a contingency basis, which means you should never pay any fees until you have a successful resolution.
Some law firms have a hands-off approach, and you should ask who will be your point of contact and how much access you will have to the attorney.
Lastly, ask about courtroom experience to ensure that if the case goes into litigation and trial, they are ready and able to represent your interests effectively.
Always call a personal injury lawyer after an accident
The answer is clear – you must call a personal injury lawyer immediately after an accident. No matter how small you think the accident is, you need to meet with a lawyer and review your legal options if you suffer an injury from someone else. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you to file a claim and get the money you need.
Even if you believe your claim is simple, get a free case evaluation to protect your rights and avoid losing out on monetary compensation. Call a personal injury lawyer right now.
