Many accident victims in Philadelphia and nationwide are tempted to avoid hiring lawyers and represent themselves when dealing with their personal injury cases. It makes sense: why pay a legal fee if you don’t have to. In this article, we will explain when this is a smart move and when accident victims should look for legal help.
Representing Yourself in a Personal Injury Matter
In most cases, if the accident resulted some property damage and little to no personal injury, accident victims can and should represent themselves. In these situations, most accident victims will do well handling the property damage side of things. You can always pay or consult with an attorney if you are having problems getting what you deserve.
Hiring a Lawyer for a Personal Injury Matter
If the personal injury turns out to be more than minimal, hiring legal help is your best bet. By more than minimal , I mean damage to your person or property that causes you to miss work, take ongoing medications, stay in hospital overnight or get ongoing medical treatment with a doctor. Remember, after an accident is not the time to tough it out – get the treatment you need and you will in most cases be compensated for your medical costs and your personal injuries if you were not at fault.
While insurance companies will be (in most cases) willing to work fairly with victims in property damage matters and very small injury accidents, they often try to take advantage of unrepresented victims in cases involving more than minimal injuries. If they can get you to settle for less, they will do so. And they are ruthless!
Getting legal representation removes this risk. Oftentimes, we can get settlements that are twice or even three times more than a victim could get for his/herself. This more than makes up for the legal fees incurred.
How to Decide
If you have an injury that persists more than a few days, it is a great idea to participate in a free consultation with one or two personal injury lawyers. This will give you an idea about whether you might have a case worth a lawyer’s time. It will also give you insight into the lawyer’s skill and working style; two critical factors in deciding whom you would like to hire if you decide to go that route.
For More Information
My Can You Handle a Car Accident Case Yourself? YouTube video contains more insights on this important topic. Please call (267) 627-4JOE (267-627-4563) or contact us online if you have any questions or if you would like a free consultation regarding your Philadelphia personal injury case.
Also, don’t forget to contact us to request your free copy of my book: The Pennsylvania Car Accident Playbook. It’s the definitive guide on how to handle a car accident. Plus, we will also send you a free In Case of an Accident brochure that can fit nicely into your glove box. It gives you all the cues you need to properly handle a car accident when it happens.
Our promise is to deliver outstanding customer service and our motto is: More Service than You Would Expect.
Joe Mitchell: Harvard Educated, Street Smart. Philadelphia Accident Attorney
