You could have been hurt in a car accident, slipped and fell on someone’s property, or been bitten by a dog belonging to a neighbor. All of these things are considered personal injury, and the severity of your injury can have a significant impact on the way your claim is handled.
In some cases, you may be able to handle a claim against the other party through insurance or Small Claims Court on your own. You may need the advice and help of a skilled legal expert at other times like an New York City Personal Injury Lawyer. It relies entirely on the degree of your injuries as well as the legal aspects of the accident.
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Taking Care of Your Own Case
Trying to handle a claim on your own and then hiring a lawyer afterward might make the process more complicated, so it’s crucial to know what you’re capable of and what’s at stake if you make a mistake. If you are unsure what to do or how to handle a claim, you should call an attorney for a consultation as soon as possible after your injury to see if a lawyer is worth the money.
Here are a few cases that you might be able to handle without the help of an attorney:
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You were involved in a car accident but suffered no (or just minor) injuries.
Injuries sustained in automobile accidents are one of the most common sorts of cases. Someone could hit you from behind at a low pace, causing minor damage to your vehicle. Your or your passengers’ injuries may necessitate a few trips to the doctor’s office. Filing a claim with your insurance, or the insurance of the other party, will typically be quick and provide adequate compensation to cover the costs of your car’s repair as well as any medical expenditures incurred as a result of the accident.
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You are a resident of a no-fault state.
The no-fault regulations prevent you from suing unless your injuries are severe enough (determined either by the nature of the injuries or the cost of treating them, depending on where you live). However, if you believe your injuries are “severe” enough to warrant moving outside of the no-fault system, hiring a lawyer is an excellent choice.
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You are confident in your ability to effectively negotiate with an adjuster.
If you are confident and comfortable enough to negotiate with the insurance agent on your own to reach a settlement sum that you deem fair, you may not need to seek legal assistance. If you decide to take the other party to Small Claims Court because of your predicament, you can represent yourself if you are confident in the evidence you have acquired and your understanding of the legal process.
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You’re at ease with yourself. Investigating the Legal System and the Settlement Process
If you run into any problems along the route, the Personal Injury and Car Accident sections of AllLaw include a wealth of information.
To comprehend the specifics of the legislation, can take a lot of effort and investigation. If you’re finding yourself wasting more time than it’s worth and becoming annoyed by the complexities of the details, it might be time to seek legal advice.
When Should You Consider Hiring An Attorney?
Attorneys will represent and fight for the insurance company against which you are filing a claim. Lawyers are experts who devote years and countless hours to researching the nuances of the law and accumulating information in order to best defend their clients. If the insurance company or the party you’re bringing to Small Claims Court has legal representation, you might want to think about it as well.
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It’s possible that your injuries aren’t as minor as you think.
Many consumers are hesitant to seek an attorney for injuries that appear to be minor. For example, if you are in a vehicle accident and only have a bruised arm and a few scrapes, you may not believe it is necessary to engage a personal injury lawyer NYC. And if the other driver’s insurance company offers to pay your medical bills and give you a few hundred dollars extra on top of that, it might not be worth the trouble of getting legal counsel.
Even if your injuries appear to be minor, there are a few reasons why you should call or schedule an initial appointment with a lawyer.
Minor Injuries Have the Potential to Become Serious. If your injuries are worse than you and your doctor anticipated and you have already accepted a settlement offer, there is nothing you can do since when you settle, you must waive any and all future claims originating from the accident. A skilled lawyer would advise you to wait until you know the full extent of your injuries before accepting an offer and will guide you through the process.
Damages for “Pain and Suffering” are yours. If your case went to court, a jury would consider pain and suffering and emotional distress damages, so a settlement that doesn’t contain these types of damages might not be complete.
Serious Injuries vs. Minor Cases
Whenever you have a major injury, you should consult an attorney. Because of the following reasons:
