Personal injury cases cover a wide range of accidents and situations. A serious injury may vary from a car accident, animal bite, workplace incident, sudden death, and more. Whatever situation you are in, you need someone to represent your claim and receive fair compensation for all damages.
This is where a personal injury lawyer comes in to help you take the case to court and acquire the best possible compensation for the settlement claim. Although there’s no certain deadline or guideline when to hire a personal injury attorney, it is important to consult their services right after an accident.
Personal injury cases may vary from car accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, etc. In accidents that involve brain injury, clients can turn to a traumatic brain injury attorney to identify long-term losses and obtain compensation from the insurance company.
If you’re planning to hire a personal injury lawyer but don’t know where to start, this article will cite some accidents or situations that require the help of a personal injury lawyer. These situations will give you an idea if a case requires legal counsel and a personal injury claim.
Severe injuries
A victim who suffered from severe injuries from an accident is a complicated case for many reasons. For example, if a victim suffers from a brain injury, the case may result in higher financial damage.
An accident lawyer can help the victim document the damages and ensure proper reimbursement for any medical bills, loss of income, and other financial damages. This often happens to accidents related to construction, medical malpractice, or other road-related disasters.
But not all injuries require a legal consultant. If it is a minor injury and you can file the insurance and legal claims yourself, it is best to settle your personal injury claim without a lawyer. Otherwise, a severe injury requires a legal consultant if it resulted in permanent disability or any major loss. This includes brain damage, amputations, and spinal cord injuries.
A lawyer will file for compensation for disabilities, permanent impairments, and future damages the condition might cause. A victim will also need an expert witness to estimate the value of damages and testify that the accident led to permanent impairment.
Problems with insurance companies
You can never rely on insurance firms to remain fair to their clients. They do this by low-balling them to generate more profits. They also deploy claims representatives and adjusters to minimize their losses and take less money from them.
During accidents, the at-fault party’s insurance firm must act fairly to settle the personal injury claim. Unfortunately, some companies engage in bad-faith insurance negotiations to prevent liability for the claim. Some of these include causing inappropriate delays, providing wrong information, requiring unnecessary documentation, changing policy terms, etc.
Another common strategy employed by defense lawyers and insurance firms is to blame victims for their injuries. For example, they will accuse the victim of texting or lack of attention, which led to the road accident. If the jury decides that the injury was partly your fault, they will only require the insurance company to pay 70% for the claim.
If you notice the insurance company is doing these practices and refuses to pay for your claim, a personal injury lawyer will file an additional claim aside from the personal injury.
It is often in the client’s best interest if they will discuss the matter with an attorney before talking to the insurance company. The insurance company will often use your comments or statements during the trial to prove to the jury that the accident is your fault. To prevent further complications, it is best to talk to a lawyer immediately.
Lack of knowledge on personal injury laws
When you suffered from an injury because of someone’s negligence or wrongdoing, it is your right to receive fair compensation for any damages. But finding out the value of a claim is difficult, especially without knowledge of personal injury laws.
The injury or accident often involves economic damages in the form of financial losses, such as personal care, travel expenses, lost wages, and medical bills. The total financial losses may depend on the value of the damage. The problem comes in if the insurance firm considers the damage as unnecessary or unreasonable. A personal injury lawyer will help you by giving you the right information to maximize the value of the damages.
Personal injury accidents aren’t resolved overnight. But seeking the help of a lawyer makes the process easier and obtain better compensation. If you or your loved one encounters a serious accident, it is better to act immediately and hire a lawyer to learn about your legal rights.
