Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer After an Accident?
If you have been injured in an accident, you may be wondering if you should hire a personal injury lawyer. Accidents can cause significant physical, emotional, and financial hardship. Personal injury lawyers can help accident victims recover compensation to cover damages like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. With injury accounting for over 150,000 deaths and 3 million non-fatal injuries per year in the United States alone, many accident victims can benefit from legal help.
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The Severity of Accidents
Accidents can range from minor falls to catastrophic events. However, even minor accidents can cause injuries that disrupt your life. For instance, there were over 5.2 million people injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2022 in the U.S. Worldwide, over 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes annually. The global cost of road crashes is estimated at $518 billion. By 2020, road crashes are predicted to become the third largest contributor to the global burden of disease.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are the leading cause of death from injury in America, accounting for one-third of all trauma deaths. Over 1 million TBIs occur annually in the U.S. Of those, 230,000 result in hospitalization and 50,000 are fatal. Around 5 million Americans are living with disabilities from past TBIs, costing over $37 billion per year. With serious accidents like these, hiring a lawyer is advisable.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
There are many benefits to hiring a local personal injury lawyer after an accident:
- Experience in handling claims: Personal injury law is complex. An experienced lawyer can strategically build your case.
- Higher settlements: Lawyers have expertise in negotiating fair settlements from insurance companies. Settlements are often 2-3x higher with a lawyer.
- No upfront fees: Lawyers work on contingency fees, meaning they only get paid if you receive compensation.
- Less stress: The lawyer handles communicating with insurance companies and navigating the claims process.
- Court representation: If a settlement can’t be reached, the lawyer can take your case to court.
Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
When deciding whether or not you should hire a personal injury lawyer, consider these factors:
- Injuries – More severe injuries often warrant a lawyer. Minor injuries may not need one.
- Insurance disputes – If an insurance company denies your claim or gives a lowball offer, a lawyer can dispute it.
- Multiple parties – Accidents with multiple vehicles or parties involved benefit from a lawyer’s expertise.
- Time for a claim – Claims have strict deadlines, usually of around 1-3 years. A lawyer can ensure yours is timely.
- Cost of a lawyer – Weigh the potential compensation against the typical 25-40% contingency fees.
- Financial hardship – Lawyers can help recover compensation for lost income, medical bills, and more.
- Emotional impact – Lawyers handle all communication so you can focus on healing.
Consult with a lawyer to decide if representation makes sense for your specific accident and injuries. With the right lawyer, you are more likely to receive full and fair compensation.
