When you make the decision to sue another party for a personal injury you sustained, you start out by filing a claim for said personal injury. The party you are suing may choose to negotiate with you out of court and come to an agreement that covers the damages associated with your claim. This settlement pays for your lost wages, medical expenses and other expenses deemed necessary.
When dealing with insurance companies during these claims, they will often try to draw out or prolong the claims process, as they want to pay as little as possible. This is where hiring a personal injury attorney can really benefit you during the process.
According to the United States Department of Justice, 90-95% of all personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial, often because they have valuable representation backing them.
Nothing is cut and dry when it comes to proving yourself in court and you will need to show proof, including evidence of injury and other verification of loss for your injury case. In this article, we will go over what it takes to be able to settle, what can hinder or prolong your case and why having a personal injury attorney can help move the case along even faster and achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
Benefits of Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you’ve been injured and feel you are owed compensation for your suffering, here are some of the benefits to starting the paperwork and getting your case ready:
- If you are seeking compensation for an injury due to negligence from the part of a job, car accident, or other responsible party
- Finding out if you join a joint class action lawsuit to seek justice for your losses
- The ability to sue for multiple damages related to your injury, including medical treatment costs, pain and suffering, and other projected expenses
- Compensation for temporary or permanent job loss
- Settlement to determine compensation for disability due to injury
What is the Insurance Company’s Role in Your Personal Injury Cases?
Most likely, the insurance company that is involved with the other party will not want to spend the time and money going through a trial if there is a chance they can come to a settlement agreement with you, as the plaintiff. This saves everyone a lot of time and money, but both the plaintiff and the insurance company must come to a mutually beneficial agreement (known as a settlement).
Naturally, the insurance company doesn’t want to pay as much as they would have to if the case went to trial. Likewise, the plaintiff doesn’t want to lose a lot of money by not going to trial, but the plaintiff must also realize how much time and money they’ll save by not going to trial.
In the end, both parties must make it worth each other’s while to not pursue taking the case to trial. Again, this can be very stressful if you decide to represent yourself, because insurance companies have much more experience than you do dealing with personal injury cases and an entire legal team on their side for just such an occasion.
In addition, you may still be suffering and uncomfortable during the case as well, and dealing with those issues alone is stressful enough. There may be pressure on you to settle, and without legal representation, you may end up settling for far less than you are rightfully owed. All in all, having a personal injury attorney on your side can help not only ease stress, but offer you the best settlement available.
Additional Tips for a Successful Case and Settlement:
- Collect as much evidence as you can to prove the other party’s liability and negligence.
- Get medical care as soon as possible and keep a copy of your medical records.
- Know your state’s statute of limitations and file your case as soon as possible. The statute of limitations in California for personal injury lawsuits is two years from the date of accident or injury.
- Do not share details about your case with others. Your lawyer can direct you on whom you can share any information with while working on the case, as it is not wise to share too much information if the case is still in litigation.
- If in doubt, always hire an attorney. As we have seen, they can be invaluable during this mentally and physically tiring process. And with proper representation, you won’t get left on the sidelines looking at paperwork and agreements you don’t understand. An attorney will do their best to get the most beneficial settlement possible.
Get Expertise with Understanding at Hann Law Firm
At Hann Law Firm, we take a personal approach from the start. Listening to our clients is at the heart of our success in the courtroom. When you work with us, we’ll address your specific challenges, prepare diligently for the best possible outcome, and create a personalized approach to help achieve your goals.
While other firms see a case number and a bottom line, we see each client as a human being who deserves to be heard. We know your case is important to you, and we’ll take it just as personally. You and your case matters to us.
Contact us for your free consultation and get quality, compassionate legal help today.
