If you have suffered any kind of personal injury, you're likely to be contacted by the responsible party's insurance company. Since the insurance company will contact you directly, it may be tempting to just negotiate and resolve the situation yourself. However, this isn't the best solution. In fact, it's in your best interest to retain the services of a personal injury attorney to help you through the process. Understanding why it's important to have an attorney guide you through your personal injury case can help you to decide if this is the right choice for you. Here's a look at some of the reasons why many people reach out to a personal injury lawyer for help.
Will Eliminate The Emotional Factor
One of the hardest parts of trying to settle a personal injury case is remaining objective when you are the one who has been hurt. It's easy to let your emotions get the better of you, but unfortunately, those emotional reactions can cost you in the long run. That's one of the reasons why it's beneficial to hire a personal injury lawyer.
Since your personal injury lawyer is a neutral third party in the process, they aren't affected by emotions related to the situation. This allows for negotiations that are free of emotional reactions. Additionally, your lawyer can serve as a voice of reason for you during this time, helping you to make rational decisions instead of emotional ones.
Can Help With Settlement Out Of Court
If you're hoping to avoid the strain of a jury trial in your personal injury case, hiring an attorney is beneficial. Personal injury lawyers have extensive experience with negotiating settlements, navigating mediation, and more. Before you find yourself in a position where the other party is pushing a court hearing, talk with a personal injury lawyer about how to pursue a direct settlement instead.
Saves You Time And Effort
Another great reason to reach out to a personal injury lawyer is that a lawyer's service can save you a significant amount of time and effort in your case. Your lawyer can handle all of the investigation, evidence gathering, research, and other steps that are necessary when you are building your case. And, since personal injury lawyers specialize in these types of cases, they will have the legal experience necessary to ensure that all of the information gathered will be admissible in court because they will obtain it through proper channels.
Provides You With Legal Expertise
Personal injury law is complex, which can make it difficult to navigate if you're not a professional in the field. If you're trying to argue your personal injury case yourself, you may overlook key points in the law that could either cost you your case or a significant amount of money in your settlement.
That's why it's always best to seek professional legal guidance instead. Personal injury lawyers understand the law, they know how to apply that law to a variety of situations, and they can help you to not only argue a valid case but also secure as much as possible in a settlement. Additionally, they can help you avoid any legal faux pas in the courtroom or during settlement discussions.
Can Guide You Through The Types Of Damages
Personal injury law includes a variety of different types of damages that you can seek restitution for. For example, compensatory damages are those awarded to cover your actual direct expenses related to the accident and the injury, including not only medical bills but also lost work wages and even emotional distress. The goal of compensatory damages is to restore your financial situation to the state it would have been if you were never injured in the first place.
In addition to compensatory damages, you may also have the legal right to seek punitive damages. Punitive damages are, as the name suggests, levied as a punishment to the responsible party. These damages aren't based on any expenses you've incurred or anything of that nature. They are dependent upon a determination that the responsible party acted deliberately or intentionally in causing your injury, or that their negligence was such that they deserve punitive charges as well.
A personal injury lawyer is a valuable resource when you're navigating a case after an injury. Reach out to an attorney at a firm like Siben & Siben LLP near you today for more help and information.