The question many people ask is when they should hire a personal injury lawyer. If you have been injured in an accident like a car crash or collision, a motorcycle or bike wreck, a slip and fall incident or any other kind of accident, you may be wondering whether it is necessary to hire a lawyer.
The decision as to whether to hire a lawyer to help you depends on issues such as the nature of the injury among other reasons. Below are 5 reasons why you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer.
If the injury is severe
Not all kinds of injury will require you to engage a lawyer. If the injury is not serious and you can find time to work on the insurance and legal claims by yourself, you can easily settle the claim. However, if pain due to the injury persists for several days, you need to seek help from a personal injury lawyer.
You will also need the services of a lawyer if your injury necessitates surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, cosmetic surgery or chiropractic work. The lawyer will help you with all the advice and help that you may need with regard to treatment and compensation.
If you believe that someone else is responsible for your injury
If you believe that another person’s negligence caused your injury, or that your loved one’s death was a result of someone else’s fault, it is critical that you talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer. This is because establishing and proving legal liability demands the application of some standards of evidence. An experienced personal injury lawyer will help you gather and preserve important evidence.
If your insurance company’s rep is contacting you
Insurance companies always want to reduce their losses by adjusting claims. They may also dispute liability. If your insurance company’s representative calls you after an injury and inquires about your recorded statements, medical reports and other information, you should seek the help of a personal injury lawyer. In any case, you should never sign any settlement without having a lawyer review your case.
If the insurance company is refusing to compensate you or is offering a low amount
Insurance firms sometimes use dirty schemes in an attempt to avoid settling the claims of injured individuals. The tactics include unexplained delays in settling a claim, refusing to pay you even when there is no liability dispute, or offering an unreasonably low compensation in spite of your severe injuries.
The good thing about involving a personal injury lawyer is that these lawyers understand such tactics and how to address them.
If you are not comfortable with the case and the claim settlement process
In order to successfully pursue a claim and obtain a fair settlement, you need to have a good understanding of the relevant case law and statutory laws. Also, some personal injury cases are complicated, such as when you are injured by a defective product or if you believe that there was medical negligence. To get advice on how to go about your case, you should hire a competent personal injury lawyer.