If you were recently injured and are intending to file a personal injury claim, you may not know exactly where to begin. Should you hire an attorney? Is that actually necessary? What benefits come with hiring an attorney to handle your personal injury claim? The following article will provide a few key reasons why you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney.
- An attorney can help you build a stronger personal injury case.
Personal injury lawsuits require that you prove that another party is responsible, at least in part, for your injuries. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to prove with certainty exactly who or what was the cause of your injuries. This is when it would be helpful to hire a personal injury attorney, who can gather evidence to help you properly identify the cause of your injuries and the responsible parties.
- An attorney can help you dispute a denial from the liable party’s insurance company.
Sometimes, the insurance company covering the liable party will deny a personal injury claim. There are various reasons why an insurance company may deny a claim, but the most common reason is that the company does not believe (based on the evidence or claims of the liable party) that the liable party is responsible for the injuries. An attorney can dispute the denial and ensure that a mutually satisfactory agreement is reached.
- An attorney can help move along the processing of your claim.
Insurance companies can often be slow in processing personal injury claims. Even if your claim is not denied outright, these companies could delay the processing of your claim by failing to respond to your inquiries or failing to send payment if a settlement has been reached. An attorney can contact the insurance company to request expeditious processing of your claim. Oftentimes, the hiring of an attorney can persuade these companies that you are serious about the processing of your claim and may encourage them to process your claim quicker.
- An attorney can help you remember important deadlines.
With personal injury claims, timing is of the essence. There are various statutory deadlines and court filing deadlines that have to be met to ensure the timely processing of your claim. An attorney will keep you updated of all relevant deadlines and general updates regarding your claim.
- An attorney can help you obtain additional damages.
Attorneys can help you obtain all the damages to which you are entitled. For example, juries typically award pain and suffering damages in personal injury cases. If you settle your claim outside of court, the award amount you receive may not include additional damages that you are eligible to receive. An attorney will explain all damages that you are entitled to and will help you receive compensation for these damages.
- An attorney can help you gain a better perspective of your case.
When you are injured and you believe someone else is the cause of that injury, it can be difficult to remain unbiased. You may only see the case from your perspective and neglect to see possible challenges that the liable party may raise if the case goes to trial. Though attorneys ultimately want to win their cases, they have to ensure that they are unbiased and can anticipate potentially harmful claims that the other party might make. An attorney can help you see the case from the other side so that you can prepare for any challenges that the liable party may make regarding the cause or extent of your injuries.