When Should I Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?

It can be a very stressful and frustrating time when someone is injured in an accident. There could be a loss of income, ability to work, short-term as well as long-term disability and more. Some situations require dealing with an insurance company to receive fair compensation. Unless someone is a trained legal expert, they can expect the insurance company to try and pay then as little as legally possible. Getting fair compensation may require taking someone to court. When you are injured, you’ll need legal help. You’ll want an experienced legal professional defending your interests. It’s time to call a personal injury attorney.

Insurance Companies

It’s possible an insurance company may refuse to pay a claim. They may have found some language in their policy that makes them believe no payment is necessary. A personal injury attorney has the knowledge and experience necessary to interpret what is written in an insurance policy. They can explain to an insurance company they are mistaken. An insurance company will have lawyers working for them who know insurance law. When someone hires a personal injury attorney, they will have someone who knows insurance law working for their interests.

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Objectivity

If an injured person tries to represent themselves when dealing with an insurance company, another person or entity, they may be too emotionally involved. Their emotions may negatively influence their thinking. A personal injury attorney can be objective. They can be realistic about a case and not make any rash decisions. They will know when a settlement offer needs to be refused. A personal injury attorney will know when it’s time to take a case to court. They will also know when mediation is the best option available. A personal injury attorney will know what is necessary to get the best possible outcome for a case.

Compensation

The amount of compensation that’s considered fair is usually determined by the severity of an individual’s injuries and property loss. Their medical bills, type of injuries experienced, amount of time for recovery as well as if short term or long term disability is involved all influence the amount of compensation. The level of property damage resulting from an accident is also included when determining fair compensation.

Contingency Fee Basis

The majority of personal injury lawyers work for their clients on a contingency basis. This means their clients won’t pay a fee for an initial meeting. A personal injury attorney will work for a percentage of the settlement received for their client. The American Bar Association (ABA) reports that a common fee is 25 percent of a settlement or more if a case is settled out of court. It could be over 33 percent if the case goes to court. This means personal injury attorneys depend on their legal skills and abilities to get paid for their work.

Statutes Of Limitations

New Jersey has a statutes of limitations law concerning injury claims. This is a deadline covering how long a person has from the date of their accident to submit a compensation claim. This is often covered by the nature of a claim. There may be different statutes of limitations for car accident claims, medical malpractice claims and more. A personal injury attorney will know how to work within a state’s statutes of limitations.

Liability

When an accident occurs, it’s important to be able to prove who is liable for the incident. It is common for an insurance company to try and show it was a policyholder’s actions that caused an accident. If this is done, the settlement amount may be significantly decreased. A personal injury attorney will carefully review a person’s case. They will know how to prove an accident was not the fault of a policyholder. A personal injury attorney will know how to prove liability and protect their client’s legal rights.

Mark Sadaka from Sadaka Associates, the leading Personal Injury Attorney, has a national practice and works with clients from New York to Alaska.

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