Law

When Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you have been in an accident or have been injured, you may be wondering whether you should contact a personal injury lawyer. According to Rachel Lader, you should contact a personal injury attorney sooner rather than later if you need one. Here are some situations where it would benefit you to contact a personal injury lawyer.

  1. You Have Serious Injuries

If you have been in an accident and your injuries are serious, it is important to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You will probably end up with expensive medical bills and may lose income if you can’t work for a while. Your attorney will be able to help you to be compensated for any expenses associated with the accident, including medical expenses and lost income.

If another party is at fault for the accident, your attorney will be able to gather the evidence to prove that they were at fault. There may be multiple people at fault for your condition, for example in a medical malpractice case when many doctors and a hospital share the blame for the outcome. The attorney will make sure you receive just compensation from each party that is at fault.

  1. The Insurance Company Creates Delays

The insurance company responsible for paying your claim may delay responding to you or may delay paying you the money they owe you. It is not in the insurance company’s interests to be sympathetic to you. If they can delay paying money out, they will. An attorney can help you get the money you need for your medical bills and other expenses as quickly as possible. 

  1. The Insurance Company Refuses to Negotiate

The insurance company may have a “take it or leave it” attitude, offering you a low settlement and refusing to change it even though you may have evidence that your expenses are higher than what they are willing to pay. A personal injury attorney will be able to negotiate on your behalf and get you a better settlement.

  1. Your Claim Is Denied

Insurance companies often try to deny claims so that they don’t have to pay out any money, even if their client is at fault. If this happens to you, a personal injury attorney will be able to investigate and push back against the insurance company. The attorney can show who is at fault and make sure that their insurance company pays the claim.

  1. You Get a Low Settlement Offer

The insurance company will often give you a settlement offer right away, hoping that you will accept it. This offer is usually much lower than the amount you are actually entitled to. Do not accept any offer from the insurance company until you have talked to an attorney. If you accept the offer, you will not be able to ask for more money later when your injuries turn out to be more serious than you originally thought. A personal injury attorney will be able to advise you on whether to fight for more money.

If you are in an accident and any of the above conditions apply, it would be a good idea for you to contact a personal injury lawyer to make sure you receive the compensation that you are entitled to.