Unfortunately, there is always a chance that you might end up in some sort of accident or situation that leaves you injured. If your injury is severe enough, you will want to file a personal injury claim so that you can recover compensation for your medical bills, medications, further treatment and damages you might have suffered. Its important to have a lawyer on your side during this time as well. However, there are certain misconceptions about personal injury claims. Here are the five most common.
You Can Work Directly with the Insurance Company
If you are planning on filing a personal injury claim after a car accident, you might think you can bypass the added expense of hiring an attorney. You may think you are perfectly equipped to handle contacting the insurance company directly so that you can get it to pay for medical expenses and any damages you incur after your accident. However, this is a huge misconception. In reality, insurance companies absolutely love to work with individuals who have gotten injured in accidents because they can easily take advantage of them. The company will quickly offer a settlement that is far lower than what you truly deserve. After you accept, you are unable to claim additional compensation. Instead, hiring a lawyer is the best thing to do because they are better equipped deal with the insurance company and can get you a much higher settlement.
Only Greedy People File Personal Injury Claims
Another common misconception about personal injury claims is that only greedy people file them. This is untrue and is generally perpetrated by insurance companies to make the plaintiff feel guilty about trying to get the compensation they are legally due. It’s important to remember that insurance companies are big businesses and that they are the truly greedy ones. Additionally, many people have the misconception that personal injury claims are nothing more than frivolous lawsuits. In reality, the majority of people who file personal injury claims are legitimately injured due to someone else’s negligence and have costly medical bills to deal with as a result.
Personal Injury Claims are Easy
You may think that personal claims are easy to deal with, but in reality, they take a lot of work and time to handle. You also have to have the expertise of personal injury laws in your state, which is why it’s so important to have legal representation. To get the fairest compensation for your injuries, you need to know the ins and outs of the law. You must prove to the insurance company that you truly were injured and have medical records to back up your claim. If you don’t know how to handle a personal injury claim, you will end up feeling frustrated and overwhelmed.
Any Lawyer Can Handle a Personal Injury Case
Another misconception about personal injury claims is believing that any lawyer can handle such a case. However, all lawyers specialize in a specific area. In this situation, you need the assistance of an attorney who specializes in personal injury. This is because that type of attorney has the knowledge and experience required to get you the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries, damages and pain and suffering.
Personal Injury Cases Take Forever to Resolve
While personal injury claims certainly take plenty of time and effort, it’s not true that they will take forever to resolve. As long as you have a lawyer handling the case, it can be settled fairly quickly. It depends on the complexity of your particular case, but in most instances, the insurance company doesn’t want to draw things out and is relatively quick to offer a settlement that is fair when dealing with an attorney.
If you have been injured by someone else’s negligence and want to file a personal injury claim, you need an attorney. It will benefit you in the long run.
Learn more about serious personal injuries.