Hurt in an Accident? How Do You Know if You Need a Lawyer?

Accidents happen all day long. No matter where you go and what you do, you are at risk for being caught on the wrong end of someone else’s negligence.

• For example, you were driving to work and someone else was texting and driving.
• Or, you stop by the market on the way home and you slip in aisle 5 because someone dropped a jar and no one cleaned it up.
• Maybe you bought your child a new toy truck and they got cut on a sharp metal edge.

All of these personal injury accidents occurred due to someone else’s mistake. When this happens, you have every right to bring a personal injury lawsuit to collect damages to cover medical bills, pain and suffering and more.
Sometimes a case seems rather open and shut. Other times, proving fault may be more complicated. Regardless of your situation, hiring a personal injury lawyer to at least review the specifics of your accident can never hurt you.
Here’s what you should consider when trying to decide whether or not to call a lawyer after you’ve been injured in an accident:
Deal with Insurance Reps: Are you being contacted by insurance carriers or representatives from the premises where you got injured? If you are fielding these calls, letters or emails, you need to talk with a lawyer. Insurance reps will often contact the injured party in an effort to get them to admit wrongdoing or convince them to accept a low ball settlement offer in lieu of filing a personal injury lawsuit.
You should not be speaking to these people without legal representation. It’s their job to get you to drop the lawsuit so they may try to convince you that you are responsible. They may also tell you that the settlement offer is good only now and won’t be available in the future. Both of these practices are just not fair or reasonable.
You know if you were responsible for your accident. If you were walking in the parking lot and tripped in a pothole, that is not your fault. Perhaps you should have seen the hole. Maybe you could have been more careful. However, your clumsiness does not eliminate the property owner’s liability in your accident. They had the responsibility to maintain safe grounds.
Review the Evidence: In order to determine liability, a lawyer can review all the evidence including a police report, witness statements, video tape, etc. The personal injury attorney’s expertise can come into play when it comes to reconstructing an accident and working with expert consultants to prove fault in your case.
Case Valuation: Let’s say you have a good case. All the evidence stands the test and you are entitled to fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries. At the negotiation table, you need someone on your side evaluating how much money is “fair” for you. The insurance company’s job is to get you to accept the least amount of money possible. Therefore, you cannot rely on the other side to fairly value your injuries. Your lawyer, however, will take the time to evaluate your medical records in an effort to determine the fair amount of compensation you should receive.
While it’s impossible to answer questions about the value of a lawsuit at the outset, choosing an experienced personal injury lawyer will give you the opportunity to get an idea of the value of your case. They can review the details of your case and figure out an approximate fair value based on age, injury type and whether your employment will be affected.
When you or someone you love has been injured due to someone else’s mistake, you deserve to be represented by knowledgeable, experienced personal injury lawyers who will fight for you. The legal team at Lombardi & Lombardi will leave no stone unturned as they examine your case and work to get you maximum compensation for your injuries. Call today for a free consultation about your accident.