When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were recently involved in an accident in which you suffered injuries due to another person’s negligence, you may have reason to file a personal injury claim. However, you may be wondering: do I need to hire a lawyer, or can I navigate the case myself?

While hiring a personal injury lawyer may not be necessary in every insurance claim or injury case, it can provide a world of benefits for many scenarios. We’ve created this guide to help you understand when to hire a personal injury lawyer.

Read on to learn the situations in which you may and may not need to hire a personal injury attorney. Then contact our Hal Waldman and Associates team to schedule a consultation.

Situations in Which You May Need a Personal Injury Lawyer

There are some scenarios in which hiring a personal injury attorney is a no-brainer. Here are a few situations where we would highly recommend enlisting an attorney to help you.

1. Your Injuries Are Severe

If you experienced severe injuries from a car accident, slip and fall accident, or another personal injury scenario, hiring an attorney to help you can be highly beneficial.

First, if your accident was relatively recent, you may still be trying to get back on your feet from your injuries. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be in the hospital or receiving frequent medical treatment. As a result, you simply may not be in a position to begin a personal injury claim and seek compensation from the at-fault driver.

Second, if you have experienced severe injuries, you probably have expensive medical bills coming your way. You shouldn’t have to pay these steep bills yourself; instead, you should consider seeking compensation from the at-fault party. An attorney can help you navigate this expensive case and provide a strong defense on your behalf.

2. You Are Being Blamed for Partial or Comparative Negligence

Fault in car accidents and other personal injury cases is not always cut and dry. Even if you believe the other driver was entirely at fault for your car accident, their insurance company may claim that you were partially at fault. As such, the insurer may refuse to pay for your claim.

If you are facing disputes about fault in your personal injury case, hiring an attorney can provide the strong defense you need to support your innocence. Your attorney can help you gather evidence and communicate with the insurance company on your behalf. They can also use their extensive legal knowledge to navigate your case professionally and effectively. 

3. The Insurance Company Is Not Offering Enough Money

If you’ve already filed an insurance claim only to find that the insurance company is low-balling you, hiring an attorney can help you improve your settlement offer. Personal injury attorneys have plenty of experience negotiating with insurance companies. 

4. You Need Help Navigating Your Case

Navigating an insurance claim or lawsuit can be challenging for anyone. You probably do not have much experience in either of these fields, and you may not be sure where to start or the best ways to handle your claim. You may also still be struggling with other stressors related to your accident.

Thankfully, personal injury attorneys are available to assist you. These professionals have all the skills and resources necessary to take your personal injury claim off your shoulders. You can trust them to provide a robust and knowledgeable defense on your behalf and guide you through all the right steps to achieve a successful outcome.

Instances in Which You May Not Need an Attorney

Personal injury attorneys can provide guidance and assistance in almost any personal injury case. However, you may not need an attorney if you meet the following criteria:

You Experienced No or Minor Injuries

If your personal injury accident only resulted in minor injuries or you were in a car accident that produced no injuries, you can probably navigate the insurance claim yourself. You’ll simply need to call the at-fault driver’s insurance company and provide information about the accident.

Of course, if the settlement offer is not enough to cover your medical bills, you can enlist an attorney to help you negotiate.

Altogether, hiring a personal injury attorney makes sense for many accident victims. Our team has extensive experience helping clients across Pennsylvania navigate their personal injury cases successfully.

If you’re considering working with a personal injury law firm, contact Hal Waldman and Associates at 412-338-1000 to schedule your consultation.