If you have been injured in an accident, you may be looking at overwhelming medical bills, lost time from work, personal property damages, and even a long-term disability that prevents you from taking care of your family.  If someone else’s negligence caused that accident, you could be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party. A personal injury lawyer can help you bring a claim against the liable party to get the compensation you need and deserve for your expenses and other damages. 

While not all accidents require the assistance of a personal injury lawyer, most injured victims can benefit from having a skilled legal representative on their side when negligence is involved. Personal injury lawyers help accident victims seek fair compensation for their injuries and protect their best interests when insurance companies try to avoid paying a fair settlement for their damages. 

Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you are unsure when you should contact a personal injury lawyer, consider the following situations:

• Is fault or liability being disputed? To be compensated for your expenses and damages, you must prove that the other party was at fault for the accident that caused your injuries. If the at-fault party or their insurance company is disputing liability,  a personal injury lawyer can conduct an investigation, determine how the accident happened, and gather evidence and witness testimony to prove who was at fault for the accident.
• Is the other party saying you contributed to the accident? Even if the other party or their insurance company accepts some liability, they may not accept all of it and try to place some of the blame on you. But in Pennsylvania, our comparative negligence laws state that you can still collect compensation as long as your percentage of fault is 50 percent or less. A personal injury lawyer can help prove what percentage of fault you are liable for. 
• Were there multiple parties involved in the accident? Accident claims get even trickier when there are multiple parties involved. Personal injury lawyers have experience dealing with cases with multiple defendants and often see it as an opportunity to get more compensation for their clients. 
• Did you sustain a traumatic injury that resulted in a disability? You may be entitled to both current and future damages if the accident left you disabled, unable to return to work, and in need of long-term medical care. A personal injury lawyer will retain medical and financial experts to place a value on what your future damages may be to ensure that you get compensated for these as well. 
• Has the insurance company denied your claim, offered an insufficient settlement for your damages, or acted in bad faith in some other way? Unfortunately, most insurance companies know that injured parties don’t understand how much they are entitled to in an injury claim. They may offer a quick settlement that is not nearly what you are entitled to, deny the claim altogether,  or fail to investigate the accident in a timely fashion, hoping you will not pursue the matter further. 
• Does your claim involve a government agency or entity? Pursuing an accident claim against a government entity is much more complicated since federal, state, and local governments have greater protection from liability. A personal injury lawyer will understand whether you still have a case and how to pursue it. 

Even if you believe the situation is straightforward and you are counting on what you think to be a fair insurance settlement, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to understand what you are legally entitled to.

As large for-profit entities, insurance companies are not always forthcoming in offering injured victims fair settlements. Insurance company adjusters and employees work for the benefit of the insurance company and its profits and are looking out for the company’s best interests, not yours. 

At Silver & Silver, our team of diligent personal injury lawyers is dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims and getting them the compensation they deserve. Schedule a no-cost consultation by calling (610) 638-7255 or contacting us through our online contact form.

Disclosure:

This website is designed to provide only general information. The information presented on this website is not formal legal advice. You should not rely on any general information from any source for making legal decisions. Each legal matter is unique and requires specific attention from a qualified and experienced attorney. Unless a representation agreement has been signed with the Law Offices of Silver and Silver, we are not your legal representatives.