When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Not every accident results in needing a personal injury lawyer. However, many situations are best handled by a lawyer who is an expert in personal injury law and has battled insurance companies previously on behalf of injured clients. It’s important to know when you should call a personal injury lawyer.
How Serious are Your Injuries?
Did you suffer injuries that require long-term treatment with the possibility of future treatment or surgery? If there is the potential of long-term repercussions because of your injury, then it’s time to contact a lawyer for assistance. Remember that the insurance company wants to keep costs as low as possible. Don’t sign any insurance settlement agreement without making sure that a legal expert agrees that you will be fairly compensated for any future medical needs, in addition to whatever medical costs you have already incurred.
Trust Your Instincts
Trust your own feelings in the situation. Is the insurance agent or an attorney for the other driver urging you to sign a settlement agreement as soon as possible? Or do you feel that the settlement that’s been offered isn’t fair? The worst thing you can do is rush into a settlement and find out – after you’ve already signed away the rest of your rights – that the agreement didn’t factor in the costs of an extended warranty or neglected to consider potential future medical costs. This may be the first settlement offer you’ve ever been asked to read and sign. But an experienced attorney has seen many and knows precisely what to look for.
Any Pre-Existing Injuries or Uninsured Motorists?
If the personal injury happened as the result of a car accident, was the other driver on the road without insurance? Uninsured motorist coverage can be a tricky area of the law in many states. If you are dealing with an uninsured motorist, an attorney with expertise in those types of cases should definitely be consulted.
If you have an existing medical condition that is worsened because of an accident, that is another reason to hire an attorney for your personal injury case. Existing injuries can be quite tricky. The other driver’s insurance company will argue you shouldn’t be compensated at all for an injury you had before the accident. A personal injury lawyer can ascertain what is fair compensation for your new injuries. In addition, there’s the issue of the cost of future medical care because of the aggravation of an existing condition. If the other driver’s insurance company won’t agree, you’ll be glad you hired a personal injury lawyer because the matter likely will end up in court.