After an accident, your life can change forever. Hospital bills, ongoing medical needs, therapy, and healing. However, if you want to file a personal injury claim to help cover some of those costs, it’s crucial to hire an experienced personal injury attorney.
Once you do that, your personal injury attorney’s job is to make sure that everything is filed correctly and you get the compensation you deserve. This includes insurance claims, hospital bills, court claims, and any necessary paperwork.
Why does leaving it to the professionals give you a better chance of winning a personal injury claim? Here are four of the main reasons why you should hire an attorney before trying to file a personal injury claim on your own.
Consultations and Claims
The first step with any lawyer is usually a consultation. Most personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation for incoming clients. With this, a lawyer can decide whether you have a claim and if it’s worth pursuing in court.
Once you’ve finished the initial consultation process, you’ll have a better idea of how your claim stands. A good lawyer will be able to tell you how much you can claim and how much to expect. This part of the process can be difficult but is made much easier with an attorney.
Insurance Help
One of the biggest hangups in the personal accident claims process is insurance. If you live in a no-fault state, you will have to file a claim without the help of your insurance company, and delays on their end can prevent you from meeting deadlines or statutes of limitations if you don’t file immediately.
A lawyer not only has experience working with insurance but often has contacts at most insurance companies. This makes the process easier and can cut through some of the red tape and waiting times.
More importantly, a lawyer knows what to ask for and when to request it from insurance companies. This knowledge might save you the most time and effort when attempting to make a successful personal injury claim.
Filing Claims
Once you have all the necessary documents, proof, and information, it’s time to file the claim. You and your lawyer will most likely file the claim, and the guilty party will be willing to settle out of court. However, you’ll need an expert lawyer to file the claim in the first place.
In order to file a personal injury claim, you have to be able to prove negligence on the part of the other person. Essentially, if the actions that led to your injuries were careless or forgetful, you have a strong basis for a personal injury claim.
A personal injury attorney can look at the evidence from your insurance company and the accident itself. Based on this, they can decide what type of claim to file and how much compensation to request. You won’t have to worry about the filing, paperwork, or following up with the courts.
Courtroom Experience
Although most personal injury cases are settled privately, some do go to court. If yours does, having a good lawyer by your side is indispensable. You need someone who knows your case and is ready to argue for your compensation.
Going to court can be a lengthy and expensive procedure, and some personal injury cases drag out for several years. Having a good, trustworthy lawyer by your side will make the whole process easier and allow you to focus on recovering.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a personal injury lawyer should be your first step if you've been in an accident. An experienced attorney can help you file the claim, fight any insurance hangups, and represent you in court. In addition, you will be able to focus on healing and recovering instead of legal paperwork.
