Can you handle a car accident injury claim without a lawyer? If you have been seriously injured in an automobile accident, there are several scenarios where filing a lawsuit may be beneficial, but you may wonder whether you can go it alone or whether you will need to hire a legal professional.
How To Handle Car Accident Injuries
Injuries from a car accident could occur in many different ways. Perhaps you were driving a car and another car hit you, or you were a passenger and the driver of the car was negligent and an accident occurred. You might have been a pedestrian or been in an accident was caused by road debris. Whatever the case, if someone else was at fault, you are generally entitled to recover your damages.
While most often an insurance company will offer you a settlement, most insurance companies pay only for injuries and property damage, not for lost wages, mental stress, pain, and suffering. So if you feel you should have compensation for your pain and lost wages, then you have the option to sue. In addition, if your injuries are severe, you may only be able to get what you deserve through litigation.
In most states, you are able to sue or recover damages for car accident injuries regardless of the amount of damage you suffered. However, in no-fault states, the costs of your injuries and property damage must generally be more than a certain amount in order for you to be able to recover- otherwise, your own insurance will have to pay.
Handling a Car Accident Injury Without a Lawyer
It is usually a bad idea to get involved in legal matters without the advice of a lawyer, especially if you have sustained significant injuries caused by someone else. You can research and get the proper forms, pay the fees and file a lawsuit on your own, however, there are some things a professional attorney will know that you will not.
Simply put, a lawyer knows the law. There are statutes of limitations involved in car accident injury claims and many other details in the process of filing and winning a lawsuit. There is a reason law school takes a long time.
The experience a lawyer has in invaluable. This experience will come into play when deciding how much money to ask for. For example, the average person will not know the price to put on pain and suffering, but with a lawyer’s education and experience, you may be able to get more money.
A lawyer’s advice is also very helpful because he can let you know if the lawsuit is winnable. Since most will work for a part of the money that is awarded to you, they would not want to take on a case that they could not possibly win.
Lastly, during a lawsuit, you may be offered a settlement. At that time, an experienced lawyer’s advice is necessary to help you make the right decision.
There are many times where a do-it-yourself approach is wise and can save you money. This would not be one of those times. It is best to let the professionals do what they do best.
