Being hit by a drunk or distracted driver. Slipping on icy pavement. Getting hurt by a toy. Suffering the pain of a dog bite. These are just some of the ways that personal injury affects Americans every day, causing high hospital bills, emotional suffering, lost wages and more. Many times, injured people choose to handle these claims on their own. However, an attorney has the potential to greatly enhance your case. Here is a review of why.
Motivation to do well means more compensation
Many attorneys work on contingency. They get paid only if they win your case. Thus, they have a lot of motivation to actually win. Not only that, they are more likely to explore all possible avenues of compensation. Forgetting to meet filing deadlines or not submitting important paperwork should not happen at all. For you, another bonus of an attorney working on contingency is that you do not need to invest any money or assets in your case. It saves a lot of stress.
Attorneys know the ins and outs of the law
Whatever your case is, odds are that a ton of requirements go with it. You do not want to get a case thrown out because the statute of limitations expired, for example. Also, suppose your case stems from you being hit by a car while you were walking. You may not be aware of what aspects you can pursue. It is possible you could get compensation for lost wages and emotional suffering, not just for your hospital bills.
They know the other lawyers and judges
Attorneys likely have years of experience working with certain lawyers and judges. Even if they do not, they know other people who can lend insight. This inside information on items such as the opposing lawyer’s negotiation style, dress preferences and even hobbies can prove very fruitful.
You get an early idea of your case
What if you have no case — and no idea? You could spend hours, weeks or even months trying to bring a lawsuit, only to learn it is all moot. On the other hand, if you had met with an attorney, you would know early on that your case was weak or nonexistent, and that it needed a change of focus to be productive.
It is possible for a self-representation effort to be successful. However, if you have doubts about your abilities or fear you will always wonder, “What if?” then getting in touch with an attorney can be worth your while.