The Importance of Hiring a Specialized Personal Injury Attorney
Dealing with a personal injury can be a stressful and confusing experience. You may be dealing with medical bills, paperwork, and insurance companies, all while trying to recover from your injuries.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can help with all of that. They can review paperwork, explain legal options, and negotiate settlements with the defending insurance provider.
Medical Expertise
Managing the aftermath of an injury can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to filing paperwork and dealing with insurance companies. A personal injury lawyer will take this burden off your hands, ensuring that all legal requirements are met and your rights are protected.
They also have the expertise to identify all potential damages you may be entitled to. They can include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A person who handles a case alone could overlook these damages or underestimate their value, resulting in a lower settlement.
A personal injury attorney can help you get the treatment you need by fronting the cost of your medical bills. They also work with doctors to create a payment plan covering your future care costs. This helps to ensure that you are getting the treatment that you need for a full recovery. A reasonable attorney will also provide you with a neutral perspective that allows you to make objective choices about your case.
Financial Expertise
Whether you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering, many expenses are involved in a personal injury claim. An experienced lawyer will ensure all your costs are included in the suit, and you do not receive inaccurate or low settlement offers.
An attorney will also help you understand how to calculate the value of your case, including non-economic damages. Trying to do this alone can be challenging and leave you vulnerable to insurance companies who may try to take advantage of you. In addition, an attorney will have extensive knowledge of the laws and have experience filing paperwork to ensure all deadlines are met, avoiding costly mistakes. Most attorneys for personal injuries work on a contingency fee basis, making legal representation accessible to everyone regardless of financial situation. This also means they get paid if they win their client’s case, motivating them to work harder to obtain the best results.
Negotiating Settlements
When you have an attorney on your side, insurance companies are frequently more inclined to agree to a reasonable settlement price. This is because seasoned lawyers have experience dealing with these situations and know the tactics that insurance companies may use to exploit injury victims.
Before entering into negotiations, an experienced lawyer will compile all relevant information and documentation about your accident and injuries. This includes medical records, bills, witness statements, and photographs. This allows the personal injury attorney to comprehensively understand your case so they can argue for a higher settlement offer.
During negotiations, your personal injury lawyer will present the insurance provider with a letter of demand stating what you believe your case is worth. This will include the damages you have incurred, such as past and future medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. It will also list any other costs you may incur due to the accident, such as loss of enjoyment of life.
Trial Experience
Being the victim of an accident or injury is already stressful, and dealing with medical bills, paperwork, and insurance companies only adds to that stress. A personal injury attorney can alleviate that stress by handling all aspects of the case so victims can focus on recovery.
Many cases never go to trial, but if yours does, your lawyer needs to have extensive trial experience. This is because they must be familiar with the pre-trial motions that may need to be filed to get a deadline extension, force the defendant to answer questions, produce documents, or exclude specific evidence or experts.
They also must be experienced with framing a demand, which involves adding up monetary and non-monetary damages, such as agony and suffering. This is where their negotiating skills come into play, as they can help clients obtain higher settlements. They can research similar cases and present the data to the insurer.