Just like any profession, lawyers have a common portrayal in media that is often fraught with exaggeration and inaccuracy. This can lead to personal injury victims being led to believe some common myths about lawyers and the legal process. Falling prey to these myths can lead someone to forgo seeking legal help with their personal injury.
Attempting to handle your personal injury case on your own is exactly what your insurance company wants. This can cost you a better settlement in the end and can leave you still in debt with your medical bills. Here are some of the most common myths according to our friends at Norris Law so you don’t fall prey to them.
Myth #1: Lawyer Fees Will Take Up Most of Your Settlement
The biggest misconception is that you pay a personal injury lawyer with money out of your pocket and pay it all upfront. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, as many personal injury lawyers actually provide at least a free consultation. This will allow them to see your case and determine if it is viable and provide you with some legal options that you can take.
As for the overall fees, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that they are only paid, contingent on the outcome of the case. This means a personal-injury lawyer will work to resolve your case and will only be paid upon success. If your claim does not recover any money, the lawyer is not getting paid. Their pay also comes as a percentage of the amount of money recovered from the case of the settlement. It however does not take up most of your settlement at all.
Myth #2: You Can Resolve a Personal Injury Claim on Your Own
While it is technically true that you can resolve a personal injury claim on your own, it is highly recommended that you don’t. This isn’t something that lawyers say so they don’t lose work. It is consistently found that legal representation in personal injury claims secure much higher settlement values than if you were to go at it alone. The reason for this is they have the experience of negotiating with the insurance company and they can handle the complex laws that come with the personal injury case.
Myth #3: Any Lawyer Can Handle My Case
Just because someone practices law does not mean that they are experienced in handling all types of cases. Therefore, you should focus on finding a personal injury lawyer to handle this type of claim. They will have the insights and the experience to handle this specific niche of the law. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t go to your general practitioner for heart surgery, so why would you trust a lawyer who doesn’t do personal injury law to handle your case?
Falling prey to these myths can be aggravating, but finding a personal injury lawyer that can ensure you are in good hands with your case is important.