Imagine you’ve been in an accident where you were injured due to someone else’s negligence. Now you’re stuck dealing with insurance companies who are clearly trying to lowball you with a pay out that doesn’t even begin to cover the cost of your recovery.
You know you’re going to be dealing with this for days and months to come, repeatedly calling insurance adjusters, dealing with doctors, and generally just feeling helpless. You’re missing work, and you’re starting to stress. Regardless of what kind of negligence led to your injury, you have the right to fair and just compensation. A skilled personal injury attorney can help you in a number of ways.
Evaluation. The best personal injury attorneys are really good at what they do, and they know when something should be pursued further and when to let it go. If you’ve recently been in an accident or injured on the job or a specific property, fill out a case review form to see if your insurance claim deserves more attention. This can help with a lot of stress and can cut down on wasted time and money if nothing is going to come of the claim. Injuries happen, but a personal injury attorney will tell you if a claim is truly worth considering.
Insurance. As mentioned above, sometimes insurance claims and payments can be difficult and frustrating. In some cases, insurers act in bad faith and you may never see a dime, and in others you are not paid what you’re rightfully owed. A personal injury attorney can make sure that you file your claim properly, and they will deal with the insurance companies in your stead so you can focus on getting better. The people who earn the largest settlements after an injury are those who are represented by a personal injury attorney, but if you’re unable to win your case most personal injury attorneys do not charge fees unless they earn you a settlement.
Mediation. Often times, you will only request an attorney well after your injury occurs. In this case, you will probably believe that the insurance company, or whichever establishment was involved in your injury, owes you restitution. When you bring in a personal injury attorney, this allows further discussions on payment, restitution, and opens the door for mediation and alternatives to meeting in court. Odds are the insurance agency or other involved organization has their own lawyers, and you will be on an “even playing field” with your own personal injury attorney working for you.
Court Case. If your case does have to go to court, it is definitely ideal to hire a personal injury attorney. He or she will know to work within court standards, will be familiar with how to deal with a jury (if there is one), and will be able to present your case in a much more professional manner. Self-representing injury cases very rarely make it to court, and if they do, they almost never win.
Stress. While many people may be concerned about the costs associated with hiring a personal injury attorney, odds are that the cost is greatly outweighed by the benefits. Not only will you have an expert handling your personal injury case who will have won countless cases like this before – you’ll have someone else handling it period. When you hire an attorney, it becomes his or her job to work through the details and obstacles that arise, rather than having it all placed on you while you attempt to heal, work, and deal with everyday life.
About the Author:
Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.