Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer isn’t as easy as you think. Here are some important tips.
Sustaining a personal injury can be a traumatic experience in more ways than one. If you’re injured in any type of accident or assault, you could be looking at years of hospital visits, therapy sessions, and medication regimens. On top of the temporary or long-term disability you incur, there may be significant, intermittent, or chronic pain.
But dealing with your insurance company can be a whole other unpleasant experience. After being injured, that’s not something you deserve. That’s where a personal injury lawyer can help. By hiring someone with specific knowledge and experience, you’ll be far more likely to receive a settlement that’s fair to you.
Not sure when it’s time to hire a personal injury lawyer? Here’s how a personal injury lawyer can help.
You become injured or disabled
Whether you were in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, boat, aircraft, or just walking down the street – you could be eligible for an injury settlement. Personal injury also extends to assault from another person, whether it’s physical or sexual abuse.
Accidents happen every day, and many of them are minor. Bumps and bruises are part of life, and minor accidents normally don’t require professional help or financial settlements. But if you’re injured physically, mentally, or emotionally due to someone else’s acts or omissions to the point where your everyday life is affected – whether it’s for 2 weeks or 2 years, you should seek compensation for your injuries.
Liability is not easy to determine
Another important indicator it’s time to call a personal injury lawyer is when the fault is murky. If the blame is being disputed, that means you’ll need a pile of evidence to support your position. Personal injury lawyers are trained and have the experience to know what kind of evidence to collect and marshal forward. Everything from photos to eyewitness reports to medical records will be used to build your case.
In a scenario where you’re completely to blame for an accident, there should be no debate. You will need professional help. If the accident is someone else’s fault, that party will either fight to defend itself or not. Even if the blame seems straightforward in your eyes, that’s often not the case at the end of the day. In order to provide a legitimate case that someone else was completely or contributorily negligent in an accident, you’ll need a personal injury lawyer.
You’re looking for a larger settlement
The third indicator that it’s time to hire a personal injury lawyer is more straightforward. If you want a bigger settlement, make the call. In 2014, the Insurance Research Council concluded that claimants involved in an accident or assault claim who hire a lawyer earn larger settlements – about 3.5 times larger.
If you’ve sustained a serious personal injury that affects your everyday life, limits your ability to move normally or work, or has left you either temporarily or permanently disabled, call a personal injury lawyer and get the settlement you deserve.
If you’re still on the fence about hiring a personal injury lawyer, there are a few more important considerations to make. After all, hiring someone isn’t necessary in every case.
Considerations to make when you’re injured
If you’ve been injured in an accident or assault, hiring a personal injury lawyer is typically the best route to take. But some people may be unsure, whether it’s because of rumours about fees, the time, or anything else. If you still don’t know whether you want to fight for the settlement you deserve, consider this:
The insurance company does not have your back
Time and time again, individuals get injured in vehicle accidents and incur serious injuries, only for their insurance company to induce further pain and suffering after the accident. These companies can be ferocious and a real difficulty to deal with. At the end of the day, they’re watching out for their bottom line – not yours. That means insurance adjusters will do everything in their power to limit the amount of compensation you receive. Plus, these insurance companies will have their own army of lawyers, so it makes sense to get your own. A personal injury lawyer will fight for you.
Did injuries involve the government in any way?
Another important and often overlooked consideration to make is if your accident involved a government entity. If you were a victim of assault in a government, or if you were injured by or on public transportation, the circumstances are slightly different. In this case, your path to settlement is even more complicated, and will surely be more difficult when fighting for yourself.
If you incur a personal injury from or inside a government entity, be sure to call a personal injury lawyer. Your time limitations when dealing with a government entity may also be truncated, so do not delay!
Experience and knowledge go a long way
If you’ve got lots of time on your hands and are willing to become an amateur attorney to fight for your case, that is always an option. But expect a lot of complications, a drawn-out process, and a smaller settlement. However savvy your negotiation skills may be or how determined you are, nothing will beat the skill and experience of a professional personal injury lawyer. They’ve likely handled hundreds, if not thousands of cases similar to yours. They know what works and what doesn’t, and they can do the work required to earn you the settlement you deserve.
When you need a root canal, you call a dentist. When you sustain a personal injury in an accident or assault, call a personal injury lawyer.
An attorney can represent you in court
For the vast majority of people, going to trial and representing themselves in court is not a very pleasant idea. Tied closely to the point above about knowledge and experience, a personal injury lawyer can represent you in court. You probably have better things to do, plus not everyone can afford to spend extended periods of time in court and away from their work. It’s also quite daunting to consider what’s actually involved in representing yourself in court. Without the knowledge and experience of a lawyer, it is possible you may undermine your own claim regardless of its merit.
If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer with proven results, call Hutchison Oss-Cech Marlatt. Our specialized team of personal injury lawyers has over 40 years of combined experience supporting ICBC injury claims and settlements, right here in Victoria, BC. Book your consultation today.
