5 Reasons to Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer
After you have suffered an injury caused by someone's careless behavior, negligence, or deliberate action, you may not know what steps to take. One of the most important things you can do is consult with a personal injury lawyer. While you may not think contacting a lawyer is necessary, there are several good reasons why you should at least schedule a consultation, here are five of those reasons.
1. Knowledge and Experience
The Texas personal injury statutes are confusing, and you have limited time to file a lawsuit. Scheduling a consultation following a car accident, becoming aware of a misdiagnosis, or being physically assaulted can help you determine the best way forward.
Remember, a personal injury lawsuit is a civil suit and does not require the person to have committed an illegal act, you merely need to demonstrate the person owed you a duty of care and had they acted in a reasonable manner, you would not have suffered an injury.
An attorney who is familiar with negligence rules, the legal system, and the paperwork required to file a personal injury lawsuit can help ensure should you decide to pursue a monetary settlement, and you will not be overwhelmed with conflicting information from insurance adjusters, lawyers, and demands from the court.
2. Not Emotionally Invested in Outcome
When you have suffered an injury, or you have lost a loved one as a result of someone's negligence, you are likely dealing with a range of emotions. You are emotionally invested in holding the responsible party accountable from anger to fear. Because of this, having a third party who is neutral can help you understand your options better because they can separate the legal response from the emotional response.
Rather than attempting to resolve this matter on your own while you are frustrated, angry and finding it challenging to make a rational decision, seeking advice from someone who can be objective is advisable. An attorney who has experience with personal injury cases can help you understand your rights and help you understand what options are available to recover financially.
3. Protects Victims from Insurance Company Tactics
One of the problems victims of any accident face is understanding the lengths an insurance company will go to in an effort to minimize how much they must pay out in claims. When you opt to consult with a Texas personal injury lawyer after getting an initial offer from an insurance company to settle your claim, they will advise you about the limitations of such an offer.
Because an insurer is interested in making money, they have a vested interest in settling claims quickly and for as little as possible. These settlement offers generally have numerous strings attached, including your accepting that should you incur any additional financial losses, the insurer cannot be held liable for those losses. Depending on the extent of your injuries, financial losses could continue for months following your injuries.
4. Saving You Time and Energy While You Recover
One of the best reasons to contact a personal injury attorney in Texas after you are involved in an incident that results in injuries is to provide you guidance, save you time, and explain your options. A Texas personal injury attorney who has knowledge about a wide range of incidents can help you understand early on what a potential settlement will look like, tell you whether pursuing a more substantial settlement is a good idea, or help you make a decision to accept whatever offer is put forth by an insurance company.
Keep something in mind, a personal injury lawyer provides a free consultation during which time you can learn more about how long it might take to settle a case, explain the discovery of evidence process, and help you understand the merits of your case. Should you exercise the option of hiring that attorney, they will be working on a contingency fee: That means unless they get a settlement on your behalf, you will not pay any legal fees. Most victims find peace of mind in knowing they have an advocate on their side who will be fighting to get the best possible settlement.
5. Clear Deliberative Approach to Personal Injury
Whether you are a victim yourself or you have lost a loved one, you want someone who has knowledge and experience working on your behalf. A personal injury attorney will not only serve as your advocate with an insurance company should the insurer be unwilling to compensate you for your losses, but they will also be able to represent your interests in court.
Keep in mind an injury case, and a wrongful death case must demonstrate the same elements of negligence. In both cases, the types of potential compensation are similar, lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of companionship, etc. but the basics are the same. When you consult with a Houston, Texas personal injury lawyer, they will make sure you understand what level of proof must be provided, make sure you understand how important evidence is for your case, and make sure you also understand how much time it could take to resolve your case.
While there may be a number of reasons to seek out a free consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer, there are several more reasons actually to hire a lawyer.
When you hire an attorney with a proven success track record, the insurance company knows you have a solid case. Hiring an attorney can often result in the insurer offering you better terms and more money and could help you avoid a long, drawn-out court process.
Get an experienced lawyer for the type of case you have. If you were hurt in an auto accident, look for the best car accident lawyer near you. Learn more.
You should not have to suffer the financial consequences of someone's negligence. When you are injured in any type of accident, or you have suffered the devastating loss of a loved one that could have been prevented, contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Houston at the Baumgartner Law Firm for a no-obligation consultation (281) 587-1111.