If you are severely injured in a preventable injury caused by another party’s negligence, you may be considering whether to hire an attorney. Here are several reasons why it is in your best interests to do so.
A personal injury attorney will be able to give you objective advice throughout the claims process and will also fight for your interests. They will be your advocate while you can focus on your health and recovery.
With their prior experience and knowledge of personal injury laws, they know what it takes for a claim to be successful. Pursuing a personal injury case can be very complex. There is extensive paperwork, as well as numerous rules and guidelines to follow, including critical deadlines. A Houston personal injury lawyer will handle the paperwork and ensure you abide by deadlines so you do not miss out on your chance of recovering compensation.
Insurance company claims adjusters are trained to settle cases for as little money as possible. As a result, they may pressure you into signing a settlement offer quickly. Although it can be tempting to get cash in hand and be done with the headache of handling your claim, it will likely be an unfairly low offer that will not fully cover your losses. To avoid this situation, a personal injury attorney can accurately assess the value of your claim after evaluating the extent of your injuries and losses. They will also protect you from settling too quickly and will have the time necessary to dedicate to your case.
Studies show that injury victims represented by an attorney often recover two to three times more in settlements or awards, even after paying lawyer fees. Although a personal injury lawyer cannot guarantee a favorable outcome, they will significantly increase your chances of receiving fair compensation.
Pursuing a personal injury claim takes extensive time and effort to ensure your case is built with solid evidence. For example, obtaining copies of medical records, documentation of lost income, police reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, communicating with insurance companies, hiring experts, etc., are very time-consuming tasks. An experienced personal injury attorney will handle every aspect of your claim for you.
If fault is unclear or the at-fault party’s insurer denies liability, a personal injury lawyer can ensure you have evidence to hold them responsible. Without their help, your compensation can be drastically reduced if the at-fault party can successfully blame you. Under Texas’s modified comparative negligence law, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 51% or more to blame, you will be barred from recovering any compensation.
Insurance company adjusters may seem nice and as if they will be fair, but without legal representation, they will likely try to take advantage of you. With a personal injury lawyer on your side, there is a valid threat of a lawsuit and a lesser chance that the adjuster will wrongfully deny, delay, or significantly undervalue your claim.
Most attorneys accept personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not have to pay any upfront fees. Instead, they will cover all costs of pursuing your claim, and you will only owe legal fees if you win.