#1 Reason To Hire an Auto Accident Lawyer

An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer is Blessed with a Wealth of Competency That a Lay Person Cannot Match.

When a person is involved in an auto accident through the fault of another driver, sometimes they feel like they can handle the case without the lawyer. Why? The reason is obvious for the victim: I suffered the injuries so why should I have to share the proceeds of the settlement with a lawyer? Based on this reasoning, the victim will potentially save thousands of dollars in legal fees.

In theory, the victim is right but in reality, they are usually wrong and is effectively a penny-wise pound-foolish decision. Without the benefit of an experienced personal injury lawyer’s representation, the victim is prone to make many errors that they are not able to anticipate. For starters, when communicating with the insurance adjuster, the unrepresented victim is generally emotional because the incident and injuries suffered thereof are personal to the victim. Therefore, the victim does not know which information to divulge to the adjuster and what information to withhold. The victim does not understand the defenses available to the adjuster such as contributory negligence which may negate their ability to collect any settlement award. The victim generally does not know all the relevant documents and how each fits into their claim. The victim is usually not skilled in the art of negotiating from a legal analysis perspective: fitting the facts into applicable law in a way to maximize settlement amounts. Also, the victim does not understand how to value their claim in relation to the facts unique to their claim. Lastly, the victim may not be aware of applicable deadlines to file a lawsuit; submit a personal injury protection (PIP) claim and other related documents.

There are many more reasons but suffice it to say that given personal injury lawyers work on a contingent fee basis, it really is not prudent to fail to consult with a personal injury lawyer before contacting an insurance adjuster to obtain a free evaluation of your claim. If your claim is so minimal to negate the need for a lawyer, an experienced personal injury lawyer will likely decline your case and provide free advice for you to handle it yourself. For instance, I do not accept personal injury cases where I am unable to meet the client’s expectations (usually very minimal impact accidents). For further information on this article, contact us at (240)676-4827.