Do you need a lawyer?
If you have been hurt in an accident, what happened to you may be the grounds for a lawsuit. Sometimes we are reluctant to consider taking legal action for a number of reasons but if you have been injured, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain, suffering and medical costs, among other things.
The next question becomes 'Should I hire an attorney or represent myself?' You may feel that hiring an attorney will be costly or perhaps unproductive whereas representing yourself sounds logical since you know your situation best and only you know what your needs and ultimate goals are.
However, there are a number of reasons why you should not represent yourself. In a word, it is a risk. First of all, no matter how simple the facts of your case are, you are still dealing with the legal system and that means dealing with an array of nuances, from statutes of limitations to legal precedent, that only an experienced attorney can navigate. Experienced personal injury attorneys like us have the experience to identify the nuances, cross the hurdles and unravel the riddle that is the law sometimes.
Also, you are not familiar with the judges in the county where your case is to be filed or with the defendant's attorneys. It can only help your case to have an attorney who has previously worked with the judge assigned to your case or the lawyer for the other side. We have been in this business a long time and have worked successfully with an extraordinary number of people - from defendants' lawyers to judges to clerks - and that can only benefit you.
The insurance companies
Oftentimes "the other side" will be the defendant's insurance company. The insurance company will have their own lawyers and they will be experienced. You should not put yourself in a situation where you are up against an insurance company's experienced attorneys. You do not have the expertise and, frankly, you should focus on your health. Instead, let your lawyer handle them and represent your interests.
What are your interests? What are your needs? What are your goals? You are the only person who can answer these questions and, for that reason, you may feel that is why you should represent yourself. However, if you communicate with your attorney and continue to keep the lines of communication open, you can have it all - your interests, needs and goals understood and met without the risk of representing yourself.
Lastly, you may be concerned about the cost. Let us hear about your situation in a free consultation and we can tell you how your case should best be handled. We can then work with you to come up with a plan that you are comfortable with, not only in terms of interests, needs and goals, but also financially.
Resources
