You have a lot on your plate after being injured in a car accident. Your pain and suffering might feel overwhelming, and you can also experience limited mobility and emotional turmoil. As if that’s not enough, you’re also bound to face significant financial losses in the form of medical expenses, lost wages and rehabilitation costs. Taken together, all these forces can leave you feeling uncertain about your future and downright hopeless. But you need to act to protect your rights and your ability to recover the compensation you deserve.
Some accident victims think that they can navigate the aftermath of their car accident on their own. They oftentimes think that they can’t afford an attorney or that they can save some money by pursuing a personal injury claim on their own. But when you ready yourself to take legal action, you really should consider having an advocate in your corner. Let’s look at the reasons why.
Reasons why you might want an attorney on your side in a personal injury case
A lot of car accident victims have misperceptions of the value an attorney can bring to their case. Here are some things to keep in mind as you consider whether securing legal assistance is beneficial for you:
- An attorney will know the law: You might think you have a basic understanding of how the law applies to your case, but there are often numerous legal nuances that come into play that can impact the outcome of your case. The rules of evidence, if misapplied, for example, could prevent you from submitting key evidence. This, in turn, could disallow you from recovering the compensation you need and deserve.
- An attorney will know how to negotiate: Most personal injury cases result in some sort of settlement. Therefore, you need to go into your settlement negotiations with a solid game plan and an understanding of what you can realistically get out of the process. If you’re inexperienced, then there’s a good chance that the defense will take advantage of that, leading to a smaller recovery than you’d hoped.
- An attorney can take the stress off you: You’re already dealing with a lot as you try to recover from your accident injuries. Having to figure out the legal challenges of your case might be more than you can handle, and it could leave you feeling even more overwhelmed. While this can create mental and emotional tension, it can also lead to critical mistakes. If you have an attorney handle your legal claim, on the other hand, you can focus on your health and reclaiming your normal life.
- An attorney may recover more compensation: Even though it might seem like you can save money by foregoing an attorney, the fact is that you may actually be cutting yourself short by passing on legal representation. This is because an attorney will know how to advocate for the compensation you deserve, meaning that your ultimate compensatory recovery amount may be higher with an attorney on your side. Of course, there are no guarantees, but you should take comfort in the fact that many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they don’t get paid unless and until you win your case. This essentially eliminates the financial risk of acquiring counsel.
Make the personal injury lawsuit decisions that are in your best interests
We know you have a lot of decisions to make as you navigate your recovery. And the choice of whether to seek legal guidance is one that you’ll have to make for yourself. Regardless of which path you choose, though, we hope that you approach your personal injury case with the urgency it deserves. After all, this may be your only chance to recover the compensation needed to get back on your feet.
