How do you know when it's time to hire a personal injury lawyer? Check out these 5 questions to consider before hiring an injury lawyer and know what to expect.
Are you thinking about hiring a personal injury lawyer?
If so, you're not alone. There are a little less than 100,000 personal injury lawyers in the United States.
Why are there so many lawyers? It's because there are plenty of cases to go around. Personal injuries impact the lives of millions each year.
No one wants to need a personal injury lawyer. And if you're in a situation where you think you may need one, chances are you want to make sure before you call.
But knowing whether or not you need a personal injury lawyer can be difficult. Lucky for you, this article will tell you what questions you need to ask before contacting one.
Read on to learn more!
1. Do You Have Any Severe Injuries?
Of course, one of the most obvious signs that you need a personal injury attorney is because you have severe injuries. Although they are painful, they may be the key to getting the compensation you deserve.
However, severe injuries aren't enough. You should also be able to prove that it was some else's fault. In personal injury cases, you tend to prove this by showing they had negligence.
Negligence is when someone's negligence of an issue caused you harm. For example, if your employer failed to check the acid levels of a chemical you were using that burned you, the employer was negligent in the situation.
Keep in mind there are other reasons to sue. It just so happens that most personal injury cases fall under negligence.
Now that we understand negligence, let's discuss two types of common injuries: disabilities and temporary injuries.
Disabilities
Disabilities are physical or mental disabilities that tend to last a lifetime. These often include loss of limb or a paralyzation.
If someone's negligence caused you to have a disability, you should absolutely get in contact with a personal injury lawyer. Even if you are unsure, the consequences of a disabling injury are too much not to try.
Temporary Injuries
Temporary injuries are just that: they are injuries that will heal. These tend to be less serious accidents.
That doesn't mean you don't have a case though. A broken arm or burn could still be a reason to contact a personal injury lawyer.
2. Have You Received Worker's Compensation Yet?
If you've had an accident at your job that is your employer's fault, you should receive worker's compensation. This is money your employer gives you in order to compensate for your losses. Usually, this comes with time off too.
The seriousness of your impairment will determine how much money you will receive.
Here's the thing: the company you work for usually won't want to give you the money you deserve. That's money that they could use elsewhere.
On occasion, you have to fight to get your worker's compensation. If you've been trying to get yours and haven't, you should get a personal injury lawyer involved.
Unfortunately, many businesses won't take your claim seriously unless you have a lawyer. This may be your only option.
3. Is Going to Trial an Option for You?
If you think your case will need to go to trial, you need to get a lawyer. Technically, you can represent yourself, but your chances of winning go down dramatically.
Part of this is because judges won't take your cases as seriously unless you have a lawyer. A lawyer on the case gives it a legal stamp of approval to show that the case is legitimate.
Plus, your potential opponents will pay more attention to your case if you have a lawyer. They may not take any of your claims seriously if you represent yourself.
Keep in mind that this doesn't just apply to a trial situation. In any type of meeting about the case, it's best to have a lawyer.
Keep in mind that trials can be long and difficult to navigate without a strong legal know-how. A lawyer will be able to get the best results from the trial while you get back to your life.
4. Do you Know What's Going On?
After an incident that may require a personal injury lawyer, situations can become quite confusing. Even when a case seems cut and dry, there are enough moving parts to be confusing for anyone.
Between insurance companies, business owners, friends, and family, you might just be hearing too many voices to be able to make a sound decision. And many of these people may be telling you opposing viewpoints.
After an incident, it can be quite exhausting to figure out how to readjust to your life. Going back to work and seeing friends again can be a weird transition from recovering.
This can also make it difficult to fully focus on what's at hand with your injury. It may even slow down your recovery efforts.
If you don't feel like you have a full grapple on what's going on in your situation, you may want to consider hiring a personal injury lawyer. They can give you an idea of where your case is going and how it may pan out.
Plus, passing on some of the more difficult matters of your case may make it easier for you to adjust to how your life is now. Even if there hasn't been a major change, learning to get back into the swing of things will be easier with a personal injury lawyer.
Get in Contact with a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Do you know whether you should get in contact with a personal injury lawyer or not now? Hopefully, this article has given you a few questions to ask yourself about the process.
Of course, keep in mind that speaking to a lawyer can never hurt you or make the situation worse. Odds are that it can be a big help during your difficult time.
Want to get in contact with a personal injury lawyer? Head to our contact pageto discuss your options today.
