Why It Is A Bad Idea To Attempt To Settle A Personal Injury Case On Your Own
If you're dealing with a personal injury case, whether due to a car accident, a slip-and-fall accident, a defective product, or a dog bite, you may be thinking about trying to settle the case on your own. However, doing so is not a good idea-- it is in your best interest to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you. In theory, settling a personal injury case may sound straightforward, but in reality, it is usually a difficult process. Some of the top reasons why it is a bad idea to attempt to settle a personal injury claim on your own include the following.
No Idea of What Your Case is Worth
Most people have little to no experience with personal injury cases, so they rarely have an accurate idea of what their case is actually worth. If you try to settle your personal injury case on your own, there is a good chance that you will have no idea what type of settlement you deserve. Insurance companies know this, so when someone is not represented by a personal injury attorney, insurance companies often offer a settlement that is substantially lower than what a case is worth. When you hire a personal injury lawyer, you won't have to worry about being taken advantage of.
Building Your Case
In order to maximize a settlement in a personal injury case, it is essential to have a strong case backed by evidence. If you have no experience dealing with personal injury cases, you probably will not know what evidence to gather to make your case as strong as possible. This is a big reason you should always hire a personal injury lawyer-- your lawyer will request the necessary information from you, such as medical records and proof of loss of income, and will then build a strong case to present to the insurance company.
Going to Court
While many personal injury cases are settled, there are situations where both sides can't come to an agreement. When this happens, the case will have to go to court and the outcome will be decided by a judge. In this type of situation, it is essential to have a personal injury lawyer representing you. If you try to represent yourself in court for a personal injury case, you will have a very hard time going up against the lawyers representing the insurance company, and you may end up without a settlement at all.
To learn more, contact a personal injury lawyer.