If you've been in an accident that wasn't your fault, and you are considering filing a claim or lawsuit against the person responsible, you may be wondering if you really need an attorney. Even if you are just pursuing a settlement from an insurance carrier, however, you should contact a personal injury attorney to see if they will take your case. Check out these four reasons to hire a personal injury lawyer.

They Handle the Paperwork for You

There is a lot of work involved in proving your personal injury claim, but your biggest worry should be getting better. In fact, you should be continuing to seek treatment, so your injuries don't get worse. Failing to seek treatment could affect your settlement.

While you are focused on recovery, your attorney will handle all the paperwork, such as gathering medical records, interviewing witnesses, etc. Plus, because your attorney is experienced with what insurance agencies and courts want to see in personal injury cases, they won't waste their time collecting unnecessary information or forgetting to gather the most pertinent info.

They Can Argue for a Better Settlement

The insurance carrier will use a formula to decide what they believe is a fair settlement. The formula usually involves your total medical expenses times a multiplier representing the severity of the accident.

Unfortunately, this formula doesn't always equal a fair settlement because it doesn't always include pain and suffering, punitive damages, or future lost income. Unless you are experienced in negotiations and have a vast knowledge on personal injury and insurance, it's best to let your attorney handle the negotiations for you, so you get the money you deserve.

They May Need to Prove Your Innocence

While it may seem strange, your claim may be denied because the court or insurance carrier determines you are responsible for your own injury. Depending on where you live, you probably need to be found most responsible for your own accident, but some states will refuse a settlement even if you are only slightly responsible. In these cases, you need an attorney to argue and prove you didn't cause the accident, and you deserve the settlement.

They Only Get Paid if You Get Paid

The last reason to hire a personal injury attorney is that they usually only get paid unless you win your settlement. Therefore, you won't simply be racking up more bills you can't afford if you happen to lose your case.

The attorney will likely receive a percentage of your total settlement. Therefore, the bigger the settlement, the more money they receive. So you can trust the attorney will always be fighting for you to win.

If you've experienced a personal injury, it may affect your entire life, but it doesn't have to affect you financially. A fair settlement is supposed to set you right financially, so you don't have to struggle because of the injury. For more information about personal injury claims or settlements, contact an attorney in your area today.

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