Why People Get More Compensation When Using a Personal Injury Lawyer
Posted Friday, January 15, 2021 by Chris Thayer
It probably comes as no surprise that thousands of people throughout Washington State recover compensation for their injuries every year. After all, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, there were more than 82,000 auto collisions in 2020 alone. Not all accidents are serious or fatal. In fact, the majority of car accidents do not cause serious injuries. However, when they do, it is important to navigate the insurance system to protect your rights.
Sadly, there are plenty of people who attempt to handle their injury claim alone. While this may technically result in them receiving some compensation, generally it is far less than if they retained competent and experienced legal representation. Seattle injury lawyers handle claims every day and know the ins and outs of the process. But there are more reasons why people recover more compensation with an attorney. Consider just a few.
*Higher Threat of Verdict*When you hire a skilled trial lawyer, the insurance company knows that they risk having to hire a defense lawyer, spend tens of thousands of dollars fighting you in court, and still have a strong possibility of being hit with a large jury verdict. This is the leverage a plaintiff has when a good personal injury lawyer is at their side. This is not to say that every case should go to trial or should even be filed in court. However, the mere fact that you have a person working with you who knows how to do it and has done it many times before is usually enough to get the insurance company to come to the table with a more reasonable offer. When you represent yourself, that risk is practically zero for the insurance company.
*Avoid Costly Mistakes*True, one could search the Internet for statutes of limitations, jury instructions, and rules of evidence, and perhaps gain some basic understanding of the law applicable to their injury claim. But it would be practically impossible to catch everything. Here are some big questions to ask yourself before attempting to represent yourself:
- Are you sure you know the specific deadline that applies to your unique case?
- Do you have a firm grasp on what evidence the court would allow you to introduce and how to get it admitted into evidence?
- Do you know the court system, judge, and procedures that will apply if your case goes to trial?
These are just a few examples of things that can present problems when representing yourself. There are complex local court rules, jury instructions, procedural rules, and even unwritten norms and processes that Seattle attorneys learn over years of regular practice. One mistake, and your case could be dismissed long before you ever get to court.
*Value Assessment*Maybe a person believes that he or she understands the value of a claim, but typically damages are based on a lot of factors people do not really recognize. For instance, the following are just a handful of things that may go into an insurance carrier’s determination of value (or a jury’s verdict):
- Age of the victim
- Relative health of the victim before the accident
- The victim’s share of the responsibility for causing his own injuries
- Provable income of the victim and evidence of specific amounts lost due to the accident
- Expert assessments of the victim’s lost future earnings
- Cost of medical expenses and whether they are related or not
*Hire a Skilled Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer Today*With some of the most talented and experienced attorneys around, Pivotal Law Group provides serious representation for clients with serious injuries. When you are losing money from work, recovering from injuries, and worrying about mounting medical debt, there really is no substitute for working with an injury attorney near you. Call or find us online today, and get a free consultation with one of our trial lawyers to see if you may be entitled to compensation.