If you’re dealing with a personal injury lawsuit, you’re going to have a lot of questions. Does insurance pay for pain and suffering? If the problem is complicated and involves a lot of people, the questions continue. Can you have two lawsuits at the same time? By hiring an injury lawyer to represent you in court, you’ll have a reliable source of information who can answer these questions for you. They can also help you look at all of your options and decide which would work best for your situation. Since insurance companies are often reluctant to pay out for car insurance bodily injury claims, your lawyer will work on your behalf to get you the money you’re owed.
Bodily injury compensation is meant to help cover things like medical bills and loss of wages that can result from your injuries. If you’re trying to get that money on your own, you might not get all the money you’re entitled to receive. However, a lawyer will know how to handle it. They can negotiate with insurance companies and get you a much better payout.
The popular image of an auto accident injury attorney is someone who spends half his time making TV commercials and half his time in the courtroom trying to argue for maximum settlements. But this stereotypical view of what personal injury attorneys do ignores some of the most important services a lawyer can help you with. If you actually find a personal injury attorney, you’re likely to discover that he or she is happy to help you do the following:
- File an Insurance Claim
If your case is fairly straightforward and another driver caused the accident in which you experienced injury, than an auto accident injury claim may be your best course of action. In this situation, you submit what is called a third-party claim to the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier. It’s actually relatively common to consult with a lawyer during this process so that you can be sure you’re presenting the strongest possible evidence, since that in turn can lead to a favorable decision by the insurance adjuster. And since car accident lawyers know the process so well, they may be able to help you expedite the process and get the money you need to cover expenses without a delay.
- Avoid Court Altogether
It’s common to associate getting a lawyer with going to court, but you’ll find a personal injury attorney is actually your best resource in avoiding court. If an insurance company refuses to give you a settlement that covers your medical costs, you might think that your only recourse is to file a lawsuit. But an attorney can negotiate with the insurer on your behalf or represent you in arbitration (a system in which you and the insurance company agree on a third party to hear your case, in lieu of going to court). These options can get you fair compensation while reducing the expense and stress associated with litigation.
- Estimate Non-Economic Damages
When you’re filing a claim or attempting to negotiate on your own, you’re probably focusing on your medical expenses, and perhaps lost wages if you had an extended recovery time. These are called “economic damages.” But when you work with an attorney, he or she can help you figure out if you’re eligible for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, as well. There’s no set process for assigning a dollar amount to these types of damages, so it can be difficult to figure out what’s fair if you don’t have experience in these kinds of cases.
Do you have any tips on how to find a personal injury attorney that will prioritize these types of services? Join the discussion in the comments.
