Getting injured can be a real pain. Literally and figuratively! In addition to physical pain, there are many other factors which make getting injured inconvenient and stressful – missing work, limited mobility, or the emotional and psychological effects that may occur.
The good news is that many people who are injured are entitled to compensation, and the best way to get that compensation is to hire a personal injury lawyer. If you decide to go with a personal injury lawyer, there are some steps you should follow and things you should know to ensure you have a positive experience.
1. Contacting your personal injury lawyer
Make sure you find and contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the injury takes place. Having all of the details as fresh in your mind as possible is important. Make sure you write those details down and keep them handy.
It is also important to choose and contact a lawyer quickly because it will make sure they can get started on your case so you can receive your compensation sooner.
2. Set up a consultation
Before signing on with a lawyer, you will need a consultation. For this you will simply organize a 30-minute meeting with your lawyer to go over your case.
The nice part is that the first consultation is generally free, so you have nothing to lose from setting it up, and you aren’t committing to anything by going.
3. The consultation
This meeting is where you will have the opportunity to decide if you and the lawyer you have chosen will work well together. It is also the point where you will fill your lawyer in on all the details pertaining to your case. In this meeting, your lawyer will be able to assess your case and tell you if it’s worth pursuing and how much you could conceivably get in the end.
One thing you need to be sure of is that you bring everything that could help your case to the consultation. Some important details are things like names, dates, locations, and any documents pertaining to the incident.
Your lawyer needs as many details as possible to work your case properly, and any missing information could affect the outcome of your case negatively.
4. Wait and try to relax
This is where hiring a personal injury lawyer comes in really handy. While they take care of negotiating with the insurance company and any other legal stuff, you can get back to your regular routine.
You may need to check in from time to time, but otherwise, this is your chance to move forward and remain stress free while you heal from your injury.
5. Get the best compensation
Your personal injury lawyer will work and negotiate until they get you the best compensation they can. This is a great bonus of having a personal injury lawyer. Insurance companies tend to low-ball clients in the hopes of paying out less than what is owed. They are most frequently successful with clients who are not familiar with the business or negotiating, and who accept the first offer.
6. Pay your personal injury lawyer
Once you receive your compensation, it’s time to pay your lawyer for their work. Most lawyers work on contingency. This means you’ll only pay a percentage of what you receive. This way you don’t end up paying more in lawyer bills than you ever get back.
There are other ways to negotiate payment too. You could set a flat rate, or an hourly rate, however these are not the industry standard.
