You were injured in an accident. You’re dealing with annoying phone calls, insurance paperwork and a whole host of unexpected bills. While you’re stressed trying to move forward with your life, you finally ask yourself…
Do I need a personal injury lawyer?
The truth is, sometimes yes and sometimes no. And that’s what we’re laying out here. Minor accidents can sometimes be handled on your own. Serious injury accidents that can alter your life should always be evaluated by a legal professional. Here’s when it pays to hire a lawyer, and when it might not be necessary.
What You’ll Learn:
- When To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer
- What Does A Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
- Signs You Likely Don’t Need Legal Help With Your Claim
- How Much Does It Really Cost To Go Without A Lawyer?
- Accident Cases That Always Require A Lawyer
When to Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer
First things first, not all accidents require litigation. Small fender benders with no serious injuries can often be resolved without getting lawyers involved.
However, some accidents do require you to lawyer up. It’s pretty simple.
Major injuries, long-term injuries, injuries that leave you with permanent damage or disabilities, or any injury that involves complicated liability should always be evaluated by a personal injury attorney. Major accidents require legal help.
The numbers tell the story.
Research conducted by Nolo found that 91% of claimants who hired an attorney received a payout vs. only 51% of those who didn’t use legal representation. And the payouts weren’t even close.
Claimants who used a personal injury lawyer were awarded nearly three times the amount as those who went it alone. The averages were $77,600 vs. $17,600.
Needless to say, that’s a huge difference.
Here are serious injuries that you should hire a lawyer for:
- Broken Bones
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Spinal Cord Damage
- Permanent Disability
- Disfigurement
- Major Injuries That Require Surgery
- Anything That Results In Long-term Treatment
If you were injured in an accident that caused any of the injuries listed above, you owe it to yourself to hire a personal injury lawyer. Major accidents are complex and can drag on. Insurance companies have attorneys whose sole job is to offer you as little money as possible, especially when you don’t have one representing you. Hiring a lawyer evens the playing field and allows you to get the compensation you deserve.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
So what does a personal injury lawyer actually do? Shouldn’t you be able to handle your case yourself?
If you were injured in a minor accident and are suffering from minor injuries, then likely yes. Most minor injury claims can be handled without a lawyer. However, when that injury starts to impact your life, your ability to work, or cause long-term trauma it may be time to hire a lawyer. For severe injury accidents, here’s what your lawyer will do:
Gathering Evidence
Your lawyer will gather all evidence related to your claim. Things like police reports, medical records, photos of the accident, witness information and more. They’ll make sure it’s organized and that crucial evidence isn’t forgotten.
Handling Insurance Companies
Your attorney will talk to insurance companies on your behalf. They’ll send demand letters, negotiate with claims adjusters and explain the full value of your claim. Insurance companies have whole departments dedicated to minimizing payouts. You deserve someone in your corner fighting for you.
Calculating Fair Compensation
It’s not just about your current medical bills. Personal injury lawyers calculate total compensation including:
- Future medical expenses
- Diminished quality of life
- Lost earning capacity
- Physical and emotional trauma
Insurance companies often low-ball initial settlement offers. Only your attorney can fight for the full amount you deserve.
Also, most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations.
Signs You Likely Don’t Need Legal Help With Your Claim
As mentioned above, some injuries can be handled without legal assistance. Typical cases where a lawyer isn’t needed include:
- Minor injuries. Typically soft tissue damage that heals in a few weeks.
- Liability isn’t contested. When everyone involved agrees who was at fault.
- Low medical bills. Usually under $1,000 – $2,000 with no long-term care needed.
- Cooperative insurance company. Your insurer is accepting responsibility and making a fair initial offer.
If you were involved in a minor accident where everyone was OK and your insurance company has been straightforward with you, it may not be worth hiring a lawyer.
Truthfully, you won’t know for sure until you talk to one. But if you meet the criteria above your case is probably pretty straightforward.
How Much Does It Really Cost To Go Without A Lawyer?
Time to talk about money.
The biggest reason many people avoid hiring a personal injury lawyer is due to costs. You don’t want to pay legal fees on top of everything else you’re already paying for, right?
But personal injury attorneys rarely charge you up front. In fact, they typically don’t get paid unless you win your case. Personal injury lawyers work on what’s called a contingency fee basis. If you lose, they don’t get paid. Simple as that.
Most attorneys charge about 1/3 of your final settlement as their fee. So not only do you not pay anything upfront, but the attorney has every financial incentive to recover every dollar they can for you.
When you look at statistics that show accident victims with lawyers receive nearly triple the compensation vs. those without — it’s almost always worth hiring one.
Accident Cases That Almost Always Require A Lawyer
If you were involved in any of the following accidents, you need a lawyer.
- If fault for the accident is being disputed.
- If there are multiple liable parties involved.
- If your insurance company is acting in bad faith.
- If someone died as a result of their injuries.
- If you were hit by a government vehicle.
Plain and simple. These cases need legal assistance. If any of the above apply to your accident you should consult a personal injury lawyer immediately.
When The Decision Is Unclear
Maybe your injuries were bad but not quite debilitating. Maybe the fault seems clear but the other driver is being stubborn. It can be hard to know whether you need a lawyer.
But that’s ok!
Taking advantage of free consultations offered by almost every personal injury lawyer out there is always a smart move. They’ll look at your accident and let you know if you should hire a lawyer. There’s no downside and you’ll have the information you need to make an educated decision.
When in doubt, consult a lawyer.
That’s Simple Enough Right?
Final Takeaway
Whether or not you need a lawyer depends on the severity of your injuries, whether fault is in question, and how much money is on the line. Major injury accidents require legal help while minor accidents with clear liability may not.
If you were seriously injured or your insurer is giving you a hard time — hire a lawyer. The statistics prove you’ll receive more money in compensation.
If you fell and broke your ankle in an accident that’s clearly your fault and you have minimal medical bills, you can probably skip calling a lawyer. Unless you talk to one first, of course. All personal injury lawyers offer free consultations so there’s no reason not to take advantage.
The only mistake you should ever make is settling for a loss without knowing the true value of your claim. And that’s exactly what happens when people handle their accident claim without a lawyer.
