If you’ve been hurt with a serious injury due to someone else’s negligence, the last thing you may want to do is get more people involved with your pain and suffering. While submitting a personal injury claim and doing it yourself may seem like the smoothest path to compensation for you, there are a lot of situations where you could get in over your head. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you to navigate complex legal issues and systems while also maximizing the amount of compensation you will receive. Consider the following things before you handle a personal injury claim on your own
How Complex Is Your Case?
Signs that you have a complex case where an attorney may be needed include:
- There may be more than one party who is responsible for negligence, or you’re having trouble pinpointing who the offending party is
- Injuries sustained may have built up over time and been caused by a number of factors, such as personal injury due to medical malpractice that included misdiagnoses and incorrect prescription drugs
- The exact cause of the claim is unknown, given an abundance of parties involved and details surrounding the injury
Personal injury claims can get complicated quickly. A business may have been a party involved with an injury you experienced due to using a defective product they gave you. Your child may have been severely injured by a dog at someone’s house, but they had dog warning signs up throughout their yard. You may have suffered an injury on the job that was due to faulty equipment handled by someone who lacked proper training to use it. When a personal injury case is not simple and straightforward, it can be difficult to navigate the details without a personal injury attorney.
Do You Have All the Evidence You Need?
After an injury, it is understandably difficult to have the composure to gather evidence or ask for help in doing so. Personal injury claims benefit from witness testimony and photo/video evidence. Having this on-hand is important. If you don’t, a personal injury lawyer can help you to document details as soon as possible for your claim.
Witness testimony isn’t always limited to hearing from people on the scene. For complex personal injury cases, such as those caused by medical malpractice, sometimes bringing in expert witnesses such as physicians or other experts helps a claim. If you don’t have the connections you need in order to secure expert witnesses such as these, working with a personal injury lawyer may be wise.
Are You Prepared to Represent Yourself?
Simple claims may be handled relatively quickly with insurance companies, with professionals who aren’t lawyers and who will never summon you to court. However, some claims may make their way to a courtroom, where you will have to testify in front of a judge and possibly a jury. Being able to follow the typical procedures regarding motions and a trial is essential for a successful court experience, which a personal injury lawyer should have ample expertise in.
Before a claim makes its way to court, the plaintiff must be able to confidently state their case and negotiate for their benefit. A lack of confidence or lack of law knowledge may hinder your ability to present your case effectively. Being caught off-guard during the proceedings could cause you to misstate important details or neglect covering something that can help you get compensation.
How Severe Are Your Damages?
For a successful personal injury claim, you’ll need to be able to accurately total all the damages you’ve sustained, including:
- Medical bills
- Time missed off work
- Money lost due to earning capacity diminishment
- Pain and suffering
If you do not accurately calculate these, you could miss out on proper compensation. If you are seeking substantial damages, the insurance company may try to low-ball their offer or, in some cases, not offer you any compensation at all. Also, the negligent party may hire their own experienced law team to fight you depending on how much is at stake.
A Free Consultation Costs Nothing
If you are unsure at all about your ability to handle your own personal injury claim, you should always contact a Phoenix personal injury lawyer first for a consultation. The Millea Law Firm only takes on cases we strongly believe in, and the team is only paid if you are. That means, you can get free insight that can help you make a better decision about how to maximize the compensation for your claim. Contact Matt Millea for more information.
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