What It’s Like to Work with a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were seriously injured because of the negligence or willful act of another but have never worked with a personal injury lawyer before, you may be feeling uncertain about what it would be like to hire an injury attorney for help. Let’s start with why people hire personal injury lawyers.
Why do people hire personal injury lawyers?
It is common for injured victims to attempt to negotiate a settlement with the insurance agency themselves. This can be difficult when it isn’t completely clear who is liable for the accident (or how liability should be shared), when the insurance company is refusing to offer a fair settlement or when an uninsured motorist is at-fault for the accident. Injured victims hire personal injury attorneys to fight for a fair injury settlement on their behalf. Often, this means tough negotiating with the at-fault insurance company. A local personal injury attorney is best suited to navigate the negotiations because they know the laws in your state, what your case is worth and how to overcome objections by the defendant’s insurance company. In rare cases, claims go to trial for resolution and your personal injury attorney handles this process as well.
What will I have to pay to hire a personal injury lawyer?
If you need help to get a fair injury settlement, you should not let fear of the expense stop you from hiring an attorney. This is because injury lawyers almost always work on a contingency fee basis. This means that injury clients pay nothing out of pocket for representation; they pay only a percentage of the settlement, which typically ranges from 30-40 percent. While this may seem high, it is common for settlements negotiated by injury lawyers to be five to 20 times higher than what a person could negotiate on their own.
How does a personal injury attorney help build a case?
Before the very important task of negotiating begins, a personal injury attorney builds a case by gathering evidence to support your claim. An accident attorney will gather evidence to prove who is liable for the accident and what damages you have incurred because of it. This includes pictures, policy reports, medical bills, witness statements, and retaining expert medical and accident reconstruction witnesses.
What does an initial meeting with a personal injury lawyer look like?
Your initial meeting with a personal injury attorney is usually a free consultation where you discuss the particulars of your accident and injuries. The attorney will also want to know about any prior communication you have had with insurance adjusters about your accident. It’s a good idea to bring all evidence you have to the meeting such as pictures from the scene of the accident, a police report and medical bills. It is important to be completely honest in this meeting, safe in the knowledge that your privacy will be protected with attorney-client privilege. This is an opportunity for the personal injury lawyer or their paralegal secretary to determine whether they are interested in representing you and for you to decide if this attorney is the right fit.
Once an attorney has taken your case, they should keep you in the loop about updates to your claim. Understand that personal injury claims can take years to come to completion.
Seek the help of a personal injury lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
