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SEVEN REASONS TO CONTACT
AN ATTORNEY IF YOU ARE INJURED
By Shaun R. Thompson
1. A LAWYER CAN TELL
YOU IF YOU MAY HAVE A LEGAL CLAIM.
An attorney can review
the facts to determine whether your injuries were caused by the
fault of another. The issue of liability is not always clear
and an attorney can assist an you in finding out if someone else
may be legally responsible and, if so, help the you get fair
compensation for any damages that you may be entitled to under
law.
2. YOUR LAWYER IS ON
YOUR SIDE.
If your injuries are
caused by someone else’s negligence, that person may have
liability insurance to pay for your damages. The insurance adjuster
works for the insurance company. The adjuster is not looking
out for your interests. Insurance companies are not inclined
to pay claims if they don’t have to. If you retain an attorney,
he has a professional obligation to represent your side (and
only your side) of the matter. If you have a lawyer, all communications
with the other side will be through your lawyer. This has the
added benefit of reducing your stress level.
3. A LAWYER WILL PROTECT
YOUR RIGHTS.
Accidents caused by
the negligence of others falls under the area of the law called
torts (or civil wrongs). Such cases can have many legal issues,
hurdles and pitfalls. A lawyer can sort through the possible
legal issues and ramifications for you in order to make sure
the right decisions are made as your claim is being pursued.
4. A LAWYER CAN MAKE
SURE YOU GET FAIRLY COMPENSATED.
The question of what
is "fair" compensation can be in itself complex. There
are different types of damages allowed by law in accident cases. "Special
damages" include such items as loss of wages and medical
expenses. "General damages" include more intangible
things—such as physical and mental pain and suffering. A
lawyer can determine what types of damages that you may be entitled
to and estimate the value of the damages.
5. A LAWYER CAN ADVISE
YOU AS TO ALL THE TYPES OF BENEFITS TO WHICH YOU MAY BE ENTITLED.
Even if the accident
was not caused by another's negligence, in my twenty-some years
in the practice of law I've found many situations where a person
may be entitled to insurance, Social Security, workers' compensation,
or other benefits that they were not even aware of. An experienced
attorney can advise the injured person if they may be entitled
to any benefits and assist them in obtaining them.
6. GETTING A LAWYER
MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE.
Most lawyers, including
myself, do not charge a fee to talk to an injured person about
their case to determine if they need legal assistance. If I can
help you, we’ll take your case on a contingent fee basis.
A contingent fee describes itself. A contingent fee arrangement
provides that a client's obligation to pay an attorney for legal
services is dependent on the client recovering damages for an
injury. The fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. If the
client is denied compensation, the attorney receives no payment.
It's often used often in personal injury claims. Without contingent
fee arrangements, many injured persons would be denied access
to justice. Our firm represents injured persons on a contingent
fee basis that is set forth in a written fee agreement. In most
cases, an injured person will receive more compensation if represented
by an experienced attorney--rather than trying to handle the
claim alone.
7. JUST BECAUSE YOU
HIRE A LAWYER DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN YOUR CASE WILL END
UP IN COURT.
It's possible--but not
likely. Only about 3 percent of injury claims are resolved by
jury trial. Most cases are settled with the liable party's insurance
carrier prior to trial. In fact, a large percentage of claims
are resolved without a lawsuit being filed. Our firm makes every
effort to obtain fair compensation for our clients without the
need for litigation. We are prepared, however, to vigorously
pursue our clients' claims in court if necessary to ensure that
our clients are treated fairly.
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