Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney for My Injury Case or Claim?

When a person is injured as a result of an accident, an incident, or the fault of another person, business, or government entity, a question that often arises is the whether the injured person needs an attorney. The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. 

First, it depends on who you ask. If you ask the insurance company, the answer may be "No" or "I cannot tell you what to do as to finding or getting an attorney." If you ask a personal injury attorney, the answer may be "Certaintly, hire me." The truth is that every person and case are unique. The need to hire an attorney will depend on the facts and circumstances. If the injured person has as very minor injury and only goes to the doctor one time then the injured person may not need an attorney. There is no magic in any form of legal representation. The appearance of an attorney does not change the facts of the case. If the injured person sees his or her personal physician one time for a very minor injury, this will never been a million dollar case or anything close to it with or without the presence of an attorney. As such, one factor that affects the need for representation is the seriousness of the injuries. Another factor is the amount of insurance. For some unfortunate personal injury victims, the other driver did not have Bodily Injury coverage. In some instances, the at-fault driver and at-fault owner did not have any insurance coverage at all. Under these circumstance, there may be a case or claim to pursue from a practical standpoint if there is Uninsured Motorist automobile insurance OR Underinsured Motorist insurance coverage. For some companies and business entities, the amount or type of liability insurance in place (if any) may be irrelevant since the company or business has significant assets to cover the damages sustained by the injury victim. Two prime examples of self insured companies are Wal-Mart and Disney. Another factor that affects the need to retain an attorney involves the goals of the personal injury victim. If the personal injury victim is only looking for the reimbursement of out of pocket medical expenses, then there may be no need to hire an attorney assuming that the insurance company OR the defendant offers to pay such bills and expenses. 

With all of these factors and concerns, what should a personal injury victim do? The answer is clear. The personal injury victim should at least consult with a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney towards the beginning of the case or claim (if possible) to discuss the law, the rights to compensation, and the recommended course of action. In the State of Florida, most personal injury cases are subject to a four year statute of limitations. That means that a lawsuit must be filed within 4 years of the date of the incident or important legal rights may be waived. While a case can be pursued any time within the 4 year window, the ideal time to consult with a personal injury attorney is soon after the incident or accident

David Wolf is a personal injury attorney with both the work experience and life experience to get the job done on behalf of personal injury victims. He has been in the work force since the age of 14 and partially worked through college and law school as he finally achieved one of his goals in 1990 by obtaining a law degree from the University of Florida. Since that time, he has dedicated his practice to the protection and enforcement of the legal rights of injury victims - from infants to seniors and every age in between. David Wolf strongly believes in Giving a Voice to Injury Victims and Their Families. Get D Wolf On Your Side - At Your Side. Contact David Wolf for a FREE CONSULTATION today.