PART II: Do You Need a Lawyer for Your Injury Claim?
So you’ve learned the long and short of a personal injury claim. Now you want to know if you need to hire a lawyer.
Well, like all great questions, the answer is:
It depends.
Whether or not an attorney is needed for your particular case depends many different factors, including, but not limited to:
How the accident happened, when it happened, who was at fault, if they have insurance, if you have insurance, what treatment you’ve had, what treatment you’ll need, for how long, if you had prior condition, for how long you treated for a prior condition, if you’ve been in more than one accident, if you’ve been injured in some other way after the accident. . .
. . . and so on. Every case, big or small, requires a one-on-one assessment with a lawyer precisely because so many factors are in play.
On top of that, there are many unwritten rules in the process, and various ways in which insurance adjusters have been trained to minimize an injury claim and reduce the amount they pay out. They will argue anything that will get them a discount on the case price. An attorney can foresee these arguments before they are made and can prepare your case accordingly.
This can sound like:
“The accident was only a mild fender bender,” or
“Your car wasn’t that badly damaged, so you can’t be that badly hurt,” or
“You were getting massage/chiropractic/physical therapy treatment before the accident, so that prior condition is more likely the cause of your pain, not the accident,” or
“You had too much treatment that wasn’t necessary,” or
“Everyone eventually has a bad neck or back or shoulder, so your pain would have happened anyway,” . . .
. . . and so on.
We recommend you consult with a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident—the sooner the better—to avoid unknowingly digging yourself into big or small holes that may be difficult to get out of later, which can result from what you do early on. This includes:
Records you share, with whom, releases you sign, conversations you have with adjusters, letters you respond to or do not respond to, when you begin treatment, what you do for treatment. . .
. . . and so on.
Not everyone needs to hire a lawyer. It just depends, and we’ll tell you what makes the most sense for you.
Whatever you do, don’t skip this step. If you’ve been in an accident, consult with an attorney no matter what.
To learn how we work our cases at Dayani Law Firm, click below.
Want to find out out how we work at Dayani Law Firm? Read on.
Lauren Adler is lead personal injury attorney at Dayani Law Firm. She offers free consultations and speaks clearly and honestly about your options after a car accident. Send her a message below or call directly for a consult at (206) 777-5627
[gravityform id=”1″ title=”true” description=”true”]