Is It Worth Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer After an Accident in Stroudsburg?
You were injured in an accident. Is it worth hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you? Or, are you better off dealing with your situation on your own? While we know that many accident victims have these questions, there are several important reasons to have an experienced Stroudsburg personal injury lawyer on your side.
In contrast, there are few—if any—reasons to try to handle your situation on your own.
Personal injury claims are complex, and if you have a claim after an accident, it is up to you to make sure you are seeking the full compensation you deserve. If you don’t take all of the necessary steps to assert your legal rights effectively, you will most likely end up paying for someone else’s mistake for years—if not decades—to come.
7 Important Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Serious Accident
To be clear, if you only suffered minor cuts and bruises that don’t require medical attention, then hiring a personal injury lawyer probably isn’t worth it (and you probably won’t be able to find a personal injury lawyer who will take your case). But, if you are facing medical bills and other losses, it will be well worth making sure you are making informed decisions about your legal rights.
With this in mind, here are seven important reasons to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer after a serious accident in Stroudsburg:
1. You Need to Find Out if You Have a Personal Injury Claim
First and foremost, you need to determine whether you have a personal injury claim. Determining whether you have grounds to take legal action requires a clear understanding of the relevant facts and Pennsylvania law.
If you don’t have a personal injury claim, you will need to focus on determining what other options you may have for covering your medical bills and other losses. On the other hand, if you do have a personal injury claim, it will be important to get started on your claim right away.
2. You Need to Find Out Who (or What Company) is Responsible for Your Injuries
Getting started on your personal injury claim will involve determining who (or what company) is responsible for your injuries. This requires a prompt and thorough investigation. In a typical scenario, investigating a personal injury claim will involve:
- Conducting a forensic investigation at the scene of the accident
- Talking to any eyewitnesses
- Obtaining any available traffic, surveillance, dash cam, or cell phone camera footage
- Obtaining cell phone records, receipts, business records, and other relevant documentation
- Hiring experts to examine the evidence or hiring an accident reconstructionist to piece together the events that led to your injuries
All of these steps require experienced legal representation. If you don’t know what evidence is available (or don’t know how to use the evidence to your advantage), you won’t be able to successfully seek the full compensation you deserve.
3. You Need to Know How Much You Deserve to Recover
Speaking of the full compensation you deserve, another important reason to hire an experienced Stroudsburg personal injury lawyer is that you need to make sure you know how much you are entitled to recover. Accident victims’ recoverable losses are often far greater than they realize—especially after serious accidents resulting in severe traumatic injuries.
If you have a personal injury claim, you are entitled to just compensation for your present and future:
- Medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs
- Lost income and benefits
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Loss of companionship, consortium, and enjoyment of life
Damages for all of these losses can be substantial—and, if you leave any damages on the table, you could end up suffering consequences from the accident unnecessarily. This is an outcome that an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you avoid.
4. You Need to Be Able to Prove How Much You Deserve to Recover
Along with knowing how much you deserve to recover, you also need to be able to prove how much you deserve to recover to the insurance companies. This requires various forms of evidence and in-depth knowledge of Pennsylvania’s personal injury laws. When you hire an experienced personal injury lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to use his or her knowledge and experience to present a compelling case for maximum compensation on your behalf.
5. You Need to Be Prepared for the Insurance Companies’ Tactics
Despite what they say, the insurance companies are not on your side. When you have a personal injury claim, the goal of the insurance company is to pay you as little as possible. You need to be prepared for the insurance companies’ tactics, and this, too, requires experienced legal representation.
6. You Need to Make Informed Decisions About When (and If) to Settle
If you present a compelling case for just compensation, the insurance companies may offer to settle your claim without going to court. In fact, the vast majority of successful personal injury claims settle during this part of the process. If a settlement offer is on the table, you will want to be able to rely on your lawyer’s advice to make an informed decision about whether to accept.
7. You Need to Be Prepared to Go to Court if Necessary
Even if your goal is to obtain an out-of-court settlement, it is important to be prepared to go to court if necessary. While most successful personal injury claims settle, there are no guarantees. Showing that you are prepared to go to court can help convince the insurance companies to make a fair settlement offer as well. If you have an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side, this will show that you are prepared to do what it takes to hold them duly accountable.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Stroudsburg Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Do you need to hire a Stroudsburg personal injury lawyer? If you have questions about your legal rights after a serious accident, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. Call 888-777-7098 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.