Don’t Go At It Alone: The Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

Around 2 million drivers in car accidents experience permanent injuries each year.

If you experience serious or ongoing injuries due to an accident or preventable injury, you may be entitled to more than your insurance company is willing to pay.

A personal injury attorney is more than just a lawyer who will help you get compensated. They can provide stress relief, emotional support, and justice at a time when you are overwhelmed with shock and fear.

Here are a few benefits you may not have considered.

1. Free Consultations

Many personal injury lawyers will offer a free consultation that can provide you with lots of valuable information about the strength of your case.

Many attorneys’ fees are contingency-based, meaning that they will not be paid unless you win.

During your free initial consultation, you can judge whether or not you feel comfortable with your attorney. You will want to know you can trust them.

It is important that they listen carefully to your concerns and questions. Be sure that you make a list of questions before you attend the consultation. And take lots of notes during the meeting.

2. Emotional Support

During a time when you are dealing with many overwhelming fears and concerns, a personal injury attorney can provide an objective perspective. They can provide you with information that will help you make wise decisions about dealing with your situation going forward.

Sometimes, just knowing that your lawyer has dealt with hundreds of similar cases is comforting. It helps to know that your situation is not unique and that professionals have experience getting positive outcomes.

3. Knowledge of Evidence Needed

If it is not clear who is liable in your case involving, for example, a motorcycle accident, an experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to help you determine what you need to know and how to help you find it.

There may be facts gathered at the scene of the incident, witnesses, and medical information that you may not have considered. An attorney can also help protect you against counterclaims and crossclaims.

4. Long-Term Injuries

If you have suffered long-term or serious injuries, your insurance company’s settlement may not be enough. Spinal injuries, for example, have long-term effects, but it is possible to reduce pain with proper medical treatment.

If your insurance company acts in bad faith, or if you are unable to secure a settlement, a lawyer can help you get the full compensation you are owed.

5. Paperwork and Time

Your own insurance coverage can provide you with first party coverages, which can get you started on the road to healing. You can also, however, take advantage of provider discounts in your policy. Medical payments coverage can work with your insurance coverage to reduce your medical bills.

These types of complicated transactions can involve lots of back-and-forth about details in insurance paperwork. A lawyer can spare you the time, stress and knowledge this requires. They can also help you understand the language that the average lay-person would have difficulty deciphering.

Remember that undertaking to talk with insurance companies and understand claims on your own is time away from your job and family that you will not be compensated for. The right attorney can do this for you, and handle all concerns competently and professionally.

6. Uninsured Motorist Coverage

If you are in an accident with a motorist who has little to no insurance coverage, a personal injury attorney can ensure that you recieve appropriate compensation. Complicted underinsurance claims require the right lawyer.

7. Statute of Limitations

If you are not represented by an attorney, a Statute of Limitations may apply, in which the maximum amount of time after an event occurs that litigation can take place has passed. This can pertain to both first-party claims against your own insurance company and third-party claims against the liable party.

Your personal injury attorney can help to ensure that your lawsuit gets filed within an appropriate amount of time.

8. Multi-Vehicle Accidents

In a multi-vehicle accident, liability is a complicated issue. A competent and experienced lawyer can help you sort through the claims of various drivers, and clear your name if you are less at fault than other drivers.

In these cases, comparative negligence laws apply, and they are often complicated. A lawyer is necessary for helping you handle the case smoothly.

9. Medicare or Medicaid

If Medicare or Medicaid is paying your medical bills, there are complex state and federal laws that apply in the event of an accident. Your lawyer should have knowledge of these laws, as well as good negotiating skills. If not handled properly, you could be responsible to pay fees to the government.

The right lawyer can help you sort through complicated paperwork, and make sure that you are not surprised by any new charges while you are still recovering from an injury.

10. DMV Reporting

If an accident occurs and the police do not investigate it, you are technically required to report it to the DMV. Any non-investigated accidents involving damage of $750 or more are legally required to be reported.

If your accident involves an uninsured motorist, you must report it early. If it is not, your claim may be denied because you did not allow your insurance company to investigate fresh evidence. An attorney can help to protect your interests in these cases.

The Right Personal Injury Attorney

An experienced, empathetic personal injury attorney can save you time, money, and a great deal of concern over your future.

For more information, contact us today.