If your personal injury lawyer is working for a contingency fee, it will not cost you any more money to hire her or him. In fact, you can hire an attorney as early as the day of the accident. Getting a lawyer involved at the beginning of your case can greatly influence the outcome. Lawyers have the “pull” to get your needs met as quickly as possible.
For example, your lawyer can help to obtain witness statements, physical preserve evidence, and help manage your health care and treatment. Further, your lawyer can probably get you a rental car set up and a much needed doctor’s appointment faster than you could on your own.
When Should You Hire a Lawyer?
When? The correct answer is: immediately after you find yourself in a position of having been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. Personal injury cases can often be complicated. Hiring a lawyer right after an incident will greatly affect the outcome of your case. And that outcome equates to the amount of compensation you will get in the settlement from the insurance company.
You will need the services of a personal injury lawyer if you:
- Sustain serious injuries with or without long-term repercussions
- Don’t feel you are being fully compensated for the damages incurred
- Feel pressured by claims adjusters to settle quickly
- Will have to miss more than a few days of work
What If Insurance Companies Are Involved?
So, we ask again, when should you hire a lawyer? And the correct answer is – before you talk to the other party’s insurance company. If physically injured, your personal injury attorney will help you understand your medical diagnosis and help determine if there could be long term or recurring problems down the road. It is so important not to talk or make statements to the insurance adjuster as those statements can come back later to haunt you in the form of lesser compensation.
Personal injury cases come in all types and sizes such as auto accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice and wrongful death, to name a few. Odds are that the party that caused your injuries or damages will have an insurance company representing them. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security and think that the insurance company will play an impartial role. Remember that insurance companies want to pay you as little as possible and will push to get you to sign a waiver agreeing not to sue.
Personal injury lawyers will act on your behalf with the insurance company. They are trained professionals who have the experience and know-how to obtain witness statements, preserve physical evidence and help you with your resulting health care and treatments. For instance, your lawyer will have the “pull” to get you into a doctor quickly or obtain a rental car far quicker than you would on your own.
Call Carey Leisure Carney for Legal Services in Clearwater, FL
Finally, if you are still in doubt and don’t know when to hire a lawyer, ask yourself this question: Are my injuries serious or minor? If you answered serious, then know that your injuries will most likely be accompanied by pain and suffering that could last a long time.
Often serious injuries will have a long term or permanent impact on your life. Do you want to run the risk of not receiving enough compensation to pay for your medical bills or therapy? Of course not! Be proactive and get professional advice from your attorney.
Contact us at (727) 799-3900 for a free no-obligation consultation and case evaluation.