Do I Really Need a Personal Injury Attorney?

Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney

After being involved in an accident of any kind, you may wonder whether you have a case, and if you do, you may consider handling the claim yourself. In California, you have the right to represent yourself and proceed with your case without the help of an attorney. However, there are several reasons you should retain a reliable personal injury attorney to help you with your case, which we will outline below.

An attorney can advise you on whether you have a case. Even if the accident was minor, you should schedule a consultation with an attorney as you may still have a case. An attorney can help you understand your legal rights and options as well as the possibilities concerning your case. They can also help you whether you file an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
An attorney has more experience. While you wonder if you can settle your car accident claim yourself, retaining an attorney is in your best interest. A reliable personal injury attorney has more experience and legal knowledge than you do, and before hiring your attorney, you can ask what experience they have handling cases in court or in negotiations (via alternative dispute resolutions) or cases similar to yours to ensure they are equipped to help you. If you have a complex case, that is even more reason to entrust your case to someone with more experience than you as an attorney will likely understand the tactics insurance adjusters and opposing counsel may employ.
An attorney betters your chances of success. Without the help of a skilled personal injury attorney, you may not have as strong of a case as you could. If you represent yourself, you may not know how to respond to the opposition’s arguments or evidence, build a solid case, or prepare for litigation or negotiations.
You don’t want to risk your financial future. After suffering injuries in an accident, you will have many incurred expenses, such as hospital bills, prescription costs, and rehabilitation and physical therapy expenses. While many people believe your personal injury settlement will be a windfall, it will actually help you pay off many bills that you have accrued. Without the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you risk your financial future as an attorney can help you maximize your settlement.
An attorney can help you maximize your case value. It is worth it to hire a personal injury in California as an experienced attorney can help you collect evidence and develop a case strategy to minimize your liability. While you can still pursue a claim if you are partially at fault for an accident, your award can be reduced by the percentage of fault you are assigned. For example, after suffering injuries in a car accident, you file a personal injury lawsuit. However, you are found to be 20% at fault for the accident because you were speeding, so of the $100,000 award, you will only receive $80,000.
You can have more time to heal. If you try to settle or file your claim yourself, you will need to devote a lot of time to learn the laws that govern your case, research to ensure you complete and file the right paperwork, calculate your damages, collect evidence, communicate with the opposing party, and handle many other case legalities. However, hiring a personal injury attorney can allow you more time to focus on healing after the accident and can reduce your stress as you have someone on your side to advocate for you.
An attorney can offer an objective opinion. Being in an accident can be scary and emotional, and you may still feel emotionally charged and/or drained when dealing with the case legalities. You may not have the same objectivity that an attorney does because of the emotional and/or physical pain you are experiencing, which can impact your decision-making and hurt your case. While your attorney should care about your pain and suffering, they will consider your feelings and use them as motivation rather than allow them to cloud their judgment.
An attorney can help expedite your case. As we mentioned, you may need time to heal after an accident, which can impact the speed of your case. Your attorney can work while you are recovering, and by working with an attorney, your insurance adjuster or the opposing party will not be able to employ as many delaying tactics as they might if you were fighting alone.
An attorney can connect you with other experts. Because they have handled similar cases, your attorney can make recommendations to you concerning whether you should retain other professionals (such as accident reconstructionists, security experts, etc.) to help strengthen your case. In many cases, they already have professional relationships with qualified people as well.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer If I Have a Settlement Offer Already?

Even if you have been offered a settlement, you still need to retain an attorney. The insurance company does not represent you or have your best interest in mind, and they often try to settle cases for the lowest amount and as quickly as possible. By retaining an attorney, you can work with them to calculate the economic and noneconomic damages you may be owed, and you can work together to fight for your right to fair compensation.

Get Legal Help

At Eliot Reiner, APLC, our attorneys are here to help you pursue legal compensation. Once you retain our team, we can work tirelessly to maximize your compensation and minimize your liability. With over thirty years of experience, our team is equipped to help you or a loved one fight for fair compensation after a:

To learn more about how we can help you, schedule a case consultation today by calling (916) 778-3228 or reaching out online.