Last Updated on March 6, 2024
If you have been injured through the actions or inactions of another person, you can recover compensation for damages by filing a personal injury claim against them.
Unlike criminal cases where you would be guaranteed a lawyer, you must hire a lawyer for your injury case or go without one. But going without a lawyer may not be a good decision. Here are compelling reasons why.
The Legal Process Is Complex
Legal processes are complex; there are laws to know, paperwork to fill, and deadlines to meet, which is more than overwhelming to the layperson.
Add that to the fact that you still have to deal with healing and the psychological pain that comes with an accident, and you get a headache you do not want to deal with.
For the lawyer, coursework and case processing are what they do every day and with precision, assuring you the best outcomes and guaranteeing peace of mind.
You Will Make Costly Mistakes
Most victims lose their deserved compensation because of the mistakes they make between the time of the accident and getting their compensation. Such mistakes can include oversharing details about your accident on social media, which gives the opposing material for demolishing your case.
But mistakes are not limited to these two, and only a lawyer can help you avoid every misstep that could hurt your case. Unfortunately, undoing damage can be tricky, so it is best to hire a lawyer as soon as possible.
Damage Valuation Is Not Your Purview
A lot more goes into damage valuation than the formulas you see in online articles. So you can never know how much your case is worth unless you have an expert in damage valuation to guide you, and a lawyer is one search expert.
According to statistics, claimants who involve a lawyer have a significantly high chance of getting fair compensation, even after the lawyer gets their cut.
Negotiating Requires Skill
“Insurers are very friendly when attracting clients but not so much when it is time to pay up. Like other businesses, insurers are out to make a profit. So the less they payout, the more profits they can keep,” says injury attorney Charles Boyk.
In most cases, insurers will come with a poor deal to the negotiating table if you are unrepresented. They know you are naive and want to take advantage of you by bending the odds in their favor or scaring you into accepting the deal.
On the other hand, lawyers are experienced in the art of negotiations and will call out an insurer for a poor deal from the get-go. The very presence of a lawyer will significantly influence the way the insurer approaches the negotiation table.
You Only Pay If They Win
Unlike other lawyers that charge per hour, personal injury lawyers charge a contingency fee on the payout, meaning their getting paid depends on their winning your case.
Lawyers differ in experience and the quality of legal representation they offer, so you must consider some factors, such as their years of experience and success rate, before engaging one.