You may feel like you will never encounter a personal injury because it is uncommon. But in reality, unintentional injuries are the most common cause of death in the US. To be more precise, negligence kills over 58 thousand people every year. Let that sink in.
Unintentional injuries are at an all-time high. Every year, 39 million people visit the doctor’s office to treat unintentional injuries in the US. It is time that everyone understood personal injury law. With personal injury law, at least you can mitigate the consequences of an accident.
The complex nature of personal injury law requires you to hire an injury attorney. If you intend to obtain fair compensation, you need to get the help of an personal injury attorney. Many people think they can file a claim without the help of an attorney and keep all the money they get. This plan can backfire and make your situation worse.
There are many reasons why you shouldn’t file a claim without the help of an attorney. Here are some of them:
- Low Settlement
- Missing Statute of Limitations
- Limited Legal Knowledge
- Emotional Stress
- Incorrect Assessment of Damages
Low Settlement
In most cases, you can claim two types of damages: economic and non-economic. In some cases, you can also seek punitive damages. Economic and non-economic losses are just two major types of losses. You have to know about the subcategories of these damages.
A lawyer will know all about these damages; an average citizen will not. Insurance companies are aware of this fact and will take advantage of you. They will offer a low settlement and make you believe that it is a good offer. And you might believe it if you don’t have a lawyer’s assistance. Settling for a low offer can hurt you in the long run.
Missing Statute of Limitations
Statutes of limitations limit the time you have to take legal action. The statute of limitations varies for every state and case. Statutes of limitations usually last three years.
This is why lawyers urge you to take action as soon as possible. A lawyer is aware of the statute for every case and every state. They can guide you and help you take action within the statute of limitations.
Limited Legal Knowledge
An attorney possesses the knowledge and expertise required to navigate a personal injury case; a victim doesn’t. Legal expertise is a necessity to win a personal injury case. Personal injury is not simple. In addition, insurance companies make it out to be as hard as possible.
To beat the insurance companies, you need someone who knows their tricks and can counter them. Personal injury lawyers are that someone. With their legal knowledge, you can avoid mistakes and obtain fair compensation.
Emotional Stress
Sustaining an unintentional injury is already a stressful situation. Dealing with your case alone can add to that stress. Insurance companies will deny and delay your claim for minor reasons. These situations can make your stress worse. You need to take care of a lot of paperwork too. A lawyer can take that stress away. Emotional well-being is important. Do not lose it over some extra cash.
Incorrect Assessment of Damage
In a personal injury case, you have to calculate your losses and claim that amount. Calculating losses may seem simple, but it is not simple at all. Sure, calculating economic damages can be easily done by adding up all the bills. But calculating non-economic damages is not easy. You cannot put a definitive value on non-economic damages. Only a lawyer can help you calculate non-economic losses. An incorrect assessment of damage can lead to a lower settlement.
Takeaway
Not hiring a lawyer is a mistake that you should never make. Without the assistance of a lawyer, you will end up getting a lower settlement that doesn’t cover all your losses. The claims process can also cause emotional stress for you. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages of not hiring a lawyer. So do not make that mistake.