When You’ve Been Personally Injured
When you have been hurt because of negligence by another person you have legal rights and may be entitled to receive monetary compensation.
Don’t Go It Alone
You can handle an injury case by yourself and withhold from hiring a personal injury attorney, but it just isn’t worth the risk. You can talk with the person responsible for your injury and try to reach a settlement without having to involve the legal system, but if the person at fault has insurance they have the right to turn the matter over to their insurance company. If they chose to do this then you are right where you don’t want to be, you have to deal with the insurance company. Insurance companies aren’t generally willing to give you a settlement as large as you are entitled to. They want to settle low, quickly and save money. Remember that insurance companies are professionals. They have handled all sorts of cases like yours, they know the ins and outs, and will do whatever they can to save themselves money. They have their own legal departments and in nearly every case they will outmatch you if you try to handle the matter yourself. You need an experienced personal injury lawyer to fight for you.
What Does A Personal Injury Attorney Do?
An attorney defends your best interests. They have seen cases like yours, know the law, and know what sort of compensation you are entitled to. They will investigate your case and if they feel that your case can be won they will plot a legal course. An attorney keeps your rights in mind and will work diligently to protect you and make sure that your rights are protected.
Choosing A Good Personal Injury Attorney
If you do not know a personal injury attorney and you need to find one you can ask an attorney that you have had experience with. They will surely have at least one personal injury attorney to refer you. If you don’t know a lawyer then ask your friends and family if they can refer you to anybody. When you have the names of some attorneys do some research to find out some background information about them and find reviews about them from others. Once you have decided on some lawyers that you think you will be comfortable with give each of them a call and set up a meeting with them. Most attorneys will give you a meeting for no charge, but some may have a fee so be sure to ask when you schedule your meeting. At the meeting you can tell them about your case and decide on which attorney you would like to have represent you.
Ask Your Personal Attorney Questions
You need to ask your attorney questions and be as well-informed as possible. One of the most important things you need to ask your attorney about is cost. A lot of personal injury lawyers work on a “Contingency Fee” basis, meaning that they receive a percentage of the settlement should your case be won (usually 33%-40% in personal injury cases), but they receive nothing if the case is lost. They don’t get paid unless you get paid and that ensures that they will do everything they can to make sure that you receive as much as you are entitled to from your personal injury. You should also ask about any “Attorney Fees” and “Attorney Costs.” These are two entirely separate things, so while there might not fees there may be costs, or vice versa. The majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court, so there are fees and costs will not come into play but you should make sure that you know about them because you will pay them. Some attorneys are willing to negotiate their fees but you should keep in mind that more experienced attorneys will be able to get you larger awards and settlements than attorneys with less experience.
In the end remember that if you have been injured due to the neglect of another party you do have rights. The best option you have to protect those rights is to hire an experienced, skilled, and respected personal injury attorney to make sure that you receive the compensation to which you are entitled.
