When To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer

When faced with an injury, many people will take anything they can get from the insurance company. While it’s perfectly understandable that you may want to get things over with as soon as possible, you can reach a more favorable outcome if you have a personal injury lawyer guiding you through the process.

However, always keep in mind that there are no rules here. Each case is different and in some scenarios, you can recover a fair sum from the insurer even without legal representation. Still, for the most part, having a lawyer is the only way to protect your interests and pursue justice after an accident.

So when to hire a personal injury lawyer? Some of the situations below may be an indication that legal help is necessary. 

1. The liability for the accident is being disputed

To win a case and receive compensation, you must prove that the other party is liable. This means providing evidence that the negligence of the other party caused your injury. For example, if you were in a car accident, you won’t be able to recover the full amount if the other party disputes their liability. 

This is quite common. Even when they know they’re in the wrong, some individuals choose to downplay their negligence in an effort to avoid financial responsibility. So if you’re wondering when to hire a personal injury lawyer, this is the right time to do so.

An experienced personal injury lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation to determine which of the parties is liable. In the process, they may uncover valuable evidence you otherwise wouldn’t have that helps them develop the best legal strategy for your case.

2. You’re being accused of contributing to the accident

When the other party’s insurance company accepts liability but claims you also contributed to the accident (and are partly responsible for your injuries), that’s when to hire a personal injury lawyer.

A good example is a car accident in which the other driver failed to yield the right of way, but their insurer claims you were speeding. Hence, you’re partly responsible for the accident.

This may be a simple tactic with no basis in reality used only to minimize your claim. It’s possible because of Florida’s contributory negligence law which dictates that compensation can be diminished in proportion to the amount of your fault in the accident. To put it differently, if it’s claimed you’re 50% at fault, the compensation you receive will be halved. 

Fortunately, personal injury lawyers are familiar with this tactic and are well-equipped to deal with it. 

3. There are multiple parties involved

Construction accidents, malpractice claims, or multi-vehicle accidents are good examples of personal injury cases involving multiple parties. Although multiple liable parties mean you may recover a higher settlement amount, these cases are generally a lot more complex since different sides will argue for different things.

Thus, protecting your financial rights by hiring a personal injury lawyer is highly recommended.



4. The insurance company is treating you unfairly

Insurance companies are notorious for looking for ways to undervalue claims or even reject them altogether, meaning it’s not uncommon for them to treat victims poorly.

They may try any of the following tactics:

• Dragging out the claim until the statute of limitations expires
• Failing to investigate a claim
• Requiring unnecessary paperwork
• Unwillingness to pay out valid claims
• Claiming the victim is negligent
• Misrepresenting policy terms
• Misleading the victim about their legal rights

This is a stereotypical example of when to hire a personal injury lawyer. Insurance companies will treat you more fairly if you’re represented by a lawyer. They’ll know you’ll be familiar with your rights, and if they continue trying to minimize your claim, they could be facing a lawsuit. As a result, they are more likely to offer you a reasonable settlement to circumvent the issue going to court.

5. You suffered extensive injuries

With traumatic injuries and permanent disabilities, there is typically a need for ongoing care, and in extreme cases, these injuries may keep you from finding employment. As such, it’s necessary to incur future damages which may total millions of dollars. 

This increases the complexity of the case and usually leads insurance companies to fight harder to lower the value of the claim. Naturally, a personal injury lawyer is necessary in such a scenario as they can maximize the damages and increase the chances of recovering an appropriate amount of compensation.

6. You’re filing a claim against a government entity

If you were injured on government property or poor road maintenance led to your car accident, you’ll have to file a claim against the government body responsible for road or property maintenance. Keep in mind that these claims are much more complex and have shorter deadlines, which is why you should never file anything without consulting a lawyer first.

What is the right time to hire a personal injury lawyer?

Now that you know when to hire a personal injury lawyer, you need to remember that timing is also of the essence in personal injury cases. Despite the fact there are no deadlines for finding legal counsel, it’s still best practice if you get the ball rolling right after the accident.

That way, your lawyer can be there to guide you during the negotiations and discussions with insurance carriers and help you sidestep any mistakes that will stall the process. As we mentioned previously, insurers are less likely to act in bad faith if they know you have a legal professional on your side, thus providing you with an easier time navigating anything thrown your way by the insurance carriers.

It’s also worth noting that acting in a timely fashion will help you receive your settlement faster and avoid the risk of running into statute of limitations issues.

Assemble a winning legal team

We understand this is a stressful time and you have many questions and concerns running through your head. This is why you shouldn’t face the daunting task of recovering compensation on your own.

Furthermore, the cards are stacked against you. The insurance company you’re dealing with has a legal team on their side, and if you’re going against them alone, they will find ways to give you the least amount of money legally possible. 

By hiring lawyers from Law Offices of RITE, you can level the playing field and recover the settlement you’re entitled to a lot easier. 

Call (904) 500-RITE (7483) or send us a message at info@rite4justice.com and get support from the best personal injury lawyers in the biz.

Note: 

The information in this blog post is for reference only and not legal advice. As such, you should not make legal decisions based on the information in this blog post. Moreover, there is no lawyer-client relationship resulting from this blog post, nor should any such relationship be implied. If you need legal counsel, please consult a lawyer licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.