4 Myths About Personal Injury Lawsuits
If you have been injured and you believe that a negligent party is at fault, you have probably thought about hiring a personal injury attorney to help you take your case to court. Common myths about personal injury lawsuits are abundant, and some of this misinformation may be preventing you from seeking out the help of an experienced lawyer. The following myths, though prevalent, are false when it comes down to really navigating a personal injury lawsuit.
You Don't Need an Attorney
One of the first mistakes you can make in a personal injury case, regardless of severity, is trying to handle the entire process yourself. This might not only cost you extra time, but money as well. In the event that your case goes to court, you do not have enough education in the language of the law to know your full rights and entitlements.
Going to court without a lawyer means that things will get lost in legal jargon you can't fully comprehend, and you could find yourself accidentally missing out on the compensation that you deserve. Many personal injury attorneys offer free or low cost consultation just to see if the services will be a match for your specific case, so there is very little risk in at least assessing what the process of hiring an attorney would entail.
It's Going to Take Forever
The fact is, a large majority of personal injury cases are going to be processed and finalized within a year of the original claim. The average amount of time for a claim to be active is 6–18 months. Not years—months. This may sound rather grueling at first but rest assured, this is nothing compared to the long and drawn out cases sensationalized by the media industry.
It's not a hard and fast rule, if you do have to go to trial and there are multiple disagreements, case time will vary. However, as with any case, the more experienced legal assistance you have and the more solid your case, the less time is needed to actually spend in court.
You Will Get Paid No Matter What
You might have heard general claims from attorney advertisements such as "You win money or it's free", a lot of the time this is served as nothing more than an advertisement of services, but the truth of the matter is that it can give false hope. You are no way entitled to money, whether awarded by a court or through a settlement, just for having a personal injury. Remember that while you have a personal injury lawyer on your side, the other side is going to have its own share of facts, evidence, and questioning to come at you with. There are no guarantees your personal injury case will ever net you a profit, so examine the cost carefully before pressing forward.
Personal Injury Attorneys Are Nothing More Than Ambulance Chasers
A lot of negative stereotypes exist about personal injury attorneys. Many people believe that personal injury attorney's exist only to file baseless lawsuits. This is not the case. The fact is, many people have serious claims that are worth legal counsel, and personal injury attorneys exist to help people get properly compensated for their pain and suffering. It is their job to argue for their clients, and they want to help you with their expertise in anyway that they can.
If you feel you have a case for a personal injury lawsuit, don't let these common myths prevent you from seeking out a lawyer. There are a myriad of law offices that offer free consultations. Do some additional reading an make an appointment to start working with a lawyer in order to help you navigate the waters of personal injury lawsuits.
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