A personal injury can be debilitating and financially crippling. You may suffer through medical bills and a loss of income, and the day-to-day hardships can be difficult for your family. If your injury is serious enough, it may affect you for your whole life and keep you from doing what you love.
Whether your injuries are the result of a car accident or medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for your suffering and financial losses. If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, you can file a claim to get proper reparation.
But to get the best possible settlement payment, it is a good idea to hire a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer. Below, we will discuss what role a personal injury attorney will play in an injury case and why you should consider hiring one to represent you.
Your Attorney Can Help Determine Damages
When you meet with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case, your attorney can determine what damages apply to your case and how much you are entitled to. Some of the damages a personal injury lawyer will consider are:
- Pain, suffering and emotional distress.
- Permanent injury
- Loss of wages or income
- Medical expenses
If you take on the claim yourself, it can be difficult to ascertain how much you deserve for pain and suffering or emotional stress. Using their experience, personal injury attorneys can more accurately pin down a number for various damages, including future or ongoing problems.
Personal Injury Attorneys Provide Advice
Personal injury lawyers can also offer plenty of useful advice for your case. Attorneys understand how to effectively get you the right settlement, so they can avoid mistakes that may prevent you from getting proper compensation.
For instance, if your injuries are seemingly minor and the defendant’s insurance company offers you an immediate settlement, a lawyer might ask you to wait until you know how badly you are injured. Some medical issues can crop up later, so accepting a settlement right away may not be in your best interests.
Car Accident Attorneys File the Lawsuit and Draft Legal Documents
If you hire an attorney, you will not have to worry about any of the legal paperwork. They can file the lawsuit on your behalf and draft any necessary legal documents.
Also, your lawyer can look over any legal documents to spot any potential problems or pitfalls. This can protect you from making any mistakes or being duped by the defense.
Our Attorneys Handle All Communication with the Insurance Company
In addition to handling all the paperwork, your attorney will manage any interaction with the defendant’s insurance company or attorney. You do not have to worry about being pressured into taking a lower settlement, and if you are contacted by the insurance company or attorney, you can simply instruct them to contact your lawyer.
A Personal Injury Attorney Helps You Settle for Adequate Compensation
As mentioned before, personal injury attorneys know how to get you the payment you are entitled to. With the right technique, they can get you the appropriate settlement, and they will not give in to simple intimidation tactics.
For instance, a personal injury lawyer may not ask the defendant’s insurance company for a settlement amount right away, as it can make the attorney look desperate. As a result, the insurance company may offer a substantially lower number for settlement. Instead, your lawyer may wait several days until the insurance company asks for a settlement amount.
Once a settlement is presented, the two sides may continuously go back and forth until they can settle on the right number. Your attorney will speak to the other party to negotiate compensation during this process. However, if the two parties cannot determine a settlement on their own, they may need an alternative, such as mediation to reach an agreement.
Pre litigation Mediation is an alternative dispute method that counsel might suggest you consider. The mediator is an impartial attorney or retired Judge that is not related to the case. At the beginning of mediation, the two parties and the appointed mediator usually meet together. Then, the two parties are put in separate rooms and the mediator goes back and forth until the two parties hopefully agree on a number.
In this situation, you will be present, but your attorney will chiefly handle the negotiations. However, once you accept a settlement, that is the end of the case. You cannot change your mind or seek more compensation. So, trust in an attorney’s advice to keep from making a hasty decision.
At the law firm of Hardee, Massey & Blodgett we handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we cannot settle any case WITHOUT the advance consent of our client. Therefore, our clients ultimately control the settlement of their claim.
Car Accident Attorneys Represent the Plaintiff in Court
If neither negotiation nor pre litigation mediation is successful, counsel will meet with you to explain the litigation process of going to court. This will include time frame, cost and risk associated with the same. Your attorney will argue your, the plaintiff’s, case in court using witnesses and evidence.
Regardless of where your case goes, whether you settle quickly or go all the way to court, a personal injury attorney’s job is to get you the compensation you are entitled to for your suffering and financial struggles. Their intention is to make sure the person responsible for your injury is held accountable for a costly mistake, and they strive to protect you from any attorneys or large insurance companies.
If you have been seriously injured, trust one of the experienced personal injury lawyers at Hardee, Massey & Blodgett. They can help you get the fair and just compensation you may be entitled for your injuries and mental, emotional, or physical hardships, both past and future.