After an accident, your first questions are likely to be about your health and the health of anyone else involved. As you start to evaluate the severity of the incident and the impact it will have on your life, you may be wondering if you’re eligible to file a personal injury claim. When accidents are the result of negligence, you are often entitled to financial compensation from the responsible party or organization. Before seeking legal assistance from a personal injury lawyer, you may be wondering how much it will cost you to pursue your claim. Read on to learn more about whether or not you need to pay a lawyer to take on your personal injury case.
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When should you look for a personal injury attorney?
Many people don’t know whether or not they need a lawyer in the aftermath of an accident. There are no hard and fast guidelines about when the services of a personal injury attorney are necessary, which is why it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Some common accidents that cause people to seek legal representation include vehicular accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, brain injury, and difficulty obtaining Social Security disability benefits to which they are entitled.
When hiring legal representation, it’s important to look for a law firm with years of experience and a track record of successful verdicts and settlements, like this Detroit personal injury attorney. Given that you can receive a free consultation, it’s worth exploring whether or not you may be owed damages due to injury as a result of negligence.
Negligence can cover a broad range of accidents and personal injuries, and many people don’t realize that they have legal options to obtain justice and financial relief from expenses like substantial medical bills. One article published in the National Law Review states that if you’re wondering whether or not you need a personal injury lawyer, the answer is almost always yes.
Will you need to pay a lawyer to take your case?
While it’s important to ask a law firm how their payment structure works, most legal services for personal injury cases are offered on a “contingency fee” basis. This means that you won’t have to pay any costs out of pocket, and your lawyer will advance the costs associated with your case. The lawyer will then deduct a fee for their services from the settlement you receive.
The percentage of your settlement that will go to your lawyer can vary depending on how long it takes to resolve your case. A settlement being reached after simply sending a demand letter is much less costly for a law firm to handle than filing a lawsuit and going through a trial to obtain fair compensation for your injury.
You should also be aware that if you accept an offer of settlement from an insurance company, you’ll often be getting much less money than you would be able to receive with a qualified lawyer at your side. The expenses that result from injuries can be ongoing and significant, and the consequences can be life-altering. A personal injury lawyer can help you obtain the financial compensation you deserve.
It can be hard to know what to do after suffering an injury or illness caused by negligence, especially if you don’t know what your legal options are. Scheduling a consultation with a personal injury lawyer is often the best course of action, as they can guide you through the process and allow you to focus your attention on healing. Most law firms that specialize in handling personal injury claims not only offer free consultations but work on what is known as a contingency fee. You shouldn’t allow fear of cost dissuade you from seeking legal help, as it is rare that victims need to pay for a lawyer to take their cases.
