Do you think you need a personal injury attorney?
Each year 39.5 million Americans have to visit a physician as a result of injury. This can be a costly and distressing time, especially if the injury isn’t your fault. But unless you have used an attorney before, you may not know whether hiring one is the right choice.
Don’t worry! Read on for 5 ways to find the answer to the question, ‘is it worth hiring a personal injury attorney’?
1. You Suffered Severe Injuries
How much compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries. To measure the severity, insurance companies look at a few factors including:
- Type of injury sustained
- Total amount of medical bills
- Length of recovery time
As this likely sum rises, you may hit the policy limits of the at-fault party’s insurance policy. If this happens, you may only get a fraction of what you should. In these cases, a personal injury attorney will get you the compensation you deserve.
2. It’s Not Clear Who’s Liable
If you have an accident where many parties could be liable for your injuries, you should hire an attorney. Be sure that you are not liable. This is one of some reasons why a personal injury lawyer might turn you down.
Several people may have injuries, which means less settlement money to go around. So, if you’ve been in a car accident and may be at fault and injured, you should hire a car accident lawyer. They can help protect you from counterclaims and crossclaims from other involved parties.
3. You Need Expert Witnesses
In some cases, testimony from an expert witness or two will help. For example, you might have had your injuries caused by medical malpractice.
If you’re faced with someone who caused your injury but can’t explain it, injury attorneys help. With experience in cases like these, they can call the right experts in to boost your case.
4. Insurance Company Isn’t Paying Out
In some cases, insurers won’t make a fair offer or even an offer at all. The at-fault party’s insurers might not offer a settlement that’s what you deserve. Or negotiations may have broken down.
In either case, you should hire an attorney. There’s a chance the insurer is using bad-faith insurance tactics. You will need help from an attorney with experience in these bad-faith claims. Otherwise, you may be missing out.
5. You Don’t Get a Fair Settlement Offer
Most injury claims settle before they go to court. As the victim, you’ll receive a settlement offer from the insurer of the at-fault party. If you aren’t experienced in these sorts of things, you might not know if it’s a good offer or not.
By settling you may miss out on the true sum you’re entitled to. A personal injury attorney will know if an offer meets up to the severity of your case. If they feel the offer isn’t right, they’ll go back to the insurer and keep negotiating.
When Is It Worth Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney?
So the next time you are injured and wondering ‘is it worth hiring a personal injury attorney?’, look at these five points. Suffering an injury that isn’t your fault can be a distressing experience, so having an attorney for support can be both a comforting, and profitable, help. If you need a reliable personal injury attorney, go now and give us a call.
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