When Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you or a loved one has faced personal injury, either in a work related accident, medical malpractice, car accidents, you may want to consider seeking the help of a personal injury lawyer.
Some reasons you may want to seek counsel include:
- Permanently Disabling Injury. If you’ve been permanently disabled, figuring out exactly how much your injury is worth can be difficult to do on your own. However, personal injury lawyers are well versed in exacting the costs of an injury and getting you the compensation that you deserve.
- Severe Personal Injury. In order to get compensation the cost of medical bills is totaled along with the type of injury and recovery time. Getting a lawyer to handle your claim can insure that you receive the highest amount of compensation that you are entitled to. This is essential so that you don’t end up settling for less than is fair to you.
- Medical Malpractice Cases. In the United States, 15% of all personal injury claims are for medical malpractice. If you have been harmed by unnecessary, or unsafe medical treatment by a doctor, nurse, hospital or clinic, you need to make sure that any ensuing medical treatment to correct the issues, as well as an resulting pain or suffering is rightly compensated for.
- Exposure to Toxic Chemicals. These claims can be difficult to prove on your own, which is why hiring a lawyer experienced in these cases is of the utmost importance. Many chemical manufactures make it legally difficult to get the compensation an injured party deserves, and they mainly will try to settle for a lower than fair sum, or have the claim dismissed entirely. Having a lawyer on your side will give you a much better chance of success.
- If an Insurance Company Won’t Pay. Sometimes insurance companies will refuse to payout a fair settlement for your injuries. Instead of settling for less than you are entitled to, it may be prudent to hire a lawyer that can increase your chances of receiving a fair payout.
Tips for Hiring the Right Lawyer
Because statutes of limitation exist for many injury claims, it can be in your best interest to file a claim as soon as possible. However, you don’t just want to hire the first lawyer you find in the phone book. Here are a few things to consider when looking for the right personal injury lawyer.
- Make sure that the lawyer you are choosing specialized in personal injury cases. In some states the official bar websites have attorneys organized by their specialized practices, which can make narrowing down the search easier.
- If you’ve been injured in a car accident consider a lawyer who is experienced with those specific cases. Some injury lawyers are more experienced with certain types of injury cases, getting one with more experience with you specific type can improve your chances of receiving better compensation.
- Do some background research on the attorney you’re considering. Checking out what previous clients report about them can help you see if they will be a right fit for you, and if they have a good reputation.
- Make sure they lawyer already doesn’t have an overabundance of cases they’re handling. While many handle multiple cases at once, if they have an overfilled caseload they might not be able to dedicate as much time or effort to your specific claim.
- Go with your gut feeling. Are you comfortable speaking with them? Do they put you at ease? Finding a lawyer that is not only qualified, but that is personable to you can give you important peace of mind while working with them.
If you or someone you know is has been injured and is seeking fair compensation, consider hiring a personal injury lawyer. As stated above they can make all the difference when it comes to getting the amount that you are due. They are trained in navigating the complex and confusing processes that surround legal injury claims, and they can help take the stress off of trying to do it yourself. Before you settle for less than you are owed, consider at least speaking with an experienced lawyer.
