4 Major Reasons Why You Should Never Handle a PI Case Without Legal Help
Numerous people sustain injuries every year due to various factors, including workplace accidents, car accidents, and medical malpractice. These injuries can result in hefty medical bills, lost jobs, or permanent disability.
The branch of law that deals with such injuries is called personal injury law. It can be overwhelming to deal with a personal injury case on your own. Plaintiffs are required to prove their injuries, justify their request for settlement, and navigate legal procedures like negotiating with insurance companies or submitting claims documents on time.
It is therefore in the best interest of personal injury victims to hire good lawyers, like those at Goodman Acker, P.C., to handle their case. These lawyers have the experience needed and are equipped with the skills required to handle personal injury cases well. They have over 15 decades of combined experience and have won millions in compensation for victims.
4 Reasons Why You Need Legal Help for a PI Case
We will now go over four reasons why victims of personal injury accidents should hire a lawyer.
Understanding the Law and Your Rights
The first thing a lawyer can help you with is understanding your rights. The law can involve many rules, and it can get confusing to figure out what is relevant to your case. A lawyer can help you understand the parts of the law that relate to your case and what rights you are entitled to for certain accidents.
A lawyer can also help you file documents on time, as every state has its own deadline for personal injury claims. Without a proper understanding of the law, you may miss filing important documents, meet deadlines, or misinterpret your right to compensation.
Gathering Evidence to Prove Your Claim
The plaintiff must submit evidence to prove that the other party, or the defendant, was negligent in some way.
On your own, you may not know what evidence is accepted under law or may miss out on critical evidence that can be pivotal to your case.
A lawyer can ensure that you gather all the documents you need, like footage or photos of the accident, medical bills, doctor’s notes, and witness statements, and even have experts review the evidence and estimate the amount of damage.
Negotiating With Insurance Companies
In a personal injury claim, it is typically insurance companies that foot the bill. Therefore, a critical step in the claims process is negotiating with insurance companies. Insurance companies usually send in their own investigators to determine the value of your claim.
It is important to be cautious in all your interactions with an insurance company, as their primary goal is to reduce costs to the company. Anything you say can be used to downplay the effects of your accident or the value of your claim.
Lawyers have plenty of experience in dealing with insurance companies and know all their tactics. They will be able to guide you on what to say and negotiate with the company on your behalf. A lawyer can help stop you from being lowballed by an insurance company.
Maximizing Your Claim
Aside from the basics of the case, like submitting documents, meeting deadlines, and dealing with insurance agents, a lawyer can also provide critical assistance in increasing the value of your claim.
They can connect you with experts who can evaluate the damages in your case, like the value of a car accident, for example, or the severity of your injuries.
Lawyers can help you take into account future costs that you may incur due to injuries, like the cost of rehabilitation, further surgery, loss of income, or other such factors.
On your own, you may miss out on some of these costs, like the pain and suffering you have endured, which can be compensated under the law.
Conclusion
There are several aspects of a personal injury case that a lawyer can help with. On your own, you may not be aware of the finer points of a case and may mess up in submitting evidence or ask for a lower compensation than you are entitled to.
While it is not impossible to handle a personal injury case on your own, considering the various merits a lawyer has to offer, it is highly advisable to hire one.