If you are injured in an accident that someone else’s negligence caused, you are entitled to seek compensation to cover the damages. But how do you know whether your injury case requires the help of a legal professional?
When legal representation proves necessary, the attorneys on the Hagens Berman team in Seattle are equipped with the legal expertise to hold the responsible parties accountable. They negotiate with insurance companies to push for the best outcome for victims so they can rebuild their lives.
Determining whether an injury case requires a lawyer can come down to these important factors.
SERIOUS INJURIES COMPARED TO MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES
The decision to rely on the expertise of a personal injury lawyer often depends on the severity of your injury. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident or a fall at a grocery store, a sore back or a minor cut might not require the help of a lawyer.
An insurance provider for an at-fault driver or a supermarket chain will hopefully pay for an emergency room visit or repairs to a vehicle without a hassle. A more serious injury can be a different matter.
Major injuries like a broken bone or a traumatic brain injury can require thousands of dollars in medical care just to treat the immediate injury recovery. Insurance companies won’t inform you of how much a fractured hip or a broken kneecap is actually worth. A personal injury lawyer with Hagens Berman will help you determine what you’ll need for your recovery and will fight for you to receive the highest compensation possible.
RECURRING ACCIDENT INJURIES AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
The full extent of medical problems may not be fully recognized for months or even years after an accident. An injury once thought healed can flare up and suddenly require extended surgeries and physical therapy.
Additionally, the long-term costs of a physical disability or disfigurement are often overlooked by a less experienced law firm or an unrepresented victim. A lifetime of medical equipment, physical therapy, home renovation, corrective surgeries and even training for a new career can cost millions of dollars. Absorbing those expenses yourself or allowing your family to be burdened by those costs should never be an option.
Once the settlement is signed, victims cannot reopen the settlement for additional compensation. So, it is crucial to have an experienced lawyer examine your settlement to ensure every cost is accounted for before signing.
COMMON BAD FAITH INSURANCE PRACTICES
Insurance companies representing reckless drivers, negligent employers, careless store owners and others won’t immediately admit blame after an accident. You will likely experience many tried and true tactics agents use to close insurance claims for the lowest dollar amount possible.
An insurance representative can leave your claim in an inbox for months, purposely hoping you’ll get desperate as medical invoices add up. Once you’re up against a financial wall, an insurance representative might extend a low settlement offer, hoping you are afraid to hold out for more.
Insurance agents can simply choose to deny your claim outright. They might think that if you haven’t signed an attorney to your team to call their bluff, you are just as likely to give up on your hopes for compensation.
A personal injury lawyer with Hagens Berman will provide strong deterrents to this bad faith behavior. Your attorney will demand that the insurance company responds within a timely manner and provides adequate compensation to cover your damages.
DEALING WITH BUSINESSES AND CORPORATIONS AFTER A SEATTLE ACCIDENT
In cases involving a workplace accident, an injury at a business or a collision caused by a rideshare driver, you could face a bigger opponent than you realize. In each instance, a major corporation may back a local employee or business involved in your case.
Companies like Wal-Mart, Uber or a construction firm will maintain corporate lawyers and insurance agents, all of whom are getting paid to offer you the lowest settlement possible. You might quickly be in over your head when these representatives start calling, posing confusing questions and asking for recorded statements. They’ll employ these statements later as evidence against your claim.
Trusting Hagens Berman to combat these big business strategies will allow you to focus on healing. While you recover, proven legal professionals will keep up the pressure on corporate giants to do the right thing.
CONTACT A SEATTLE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER AT HAGENS BERMAN TODAY
Are you still wondering if a personal injury lawyer can help you in your accident case? Why not ask? Hagens Berman extends a free case evaluation to victims and their families. There’s no risk in asking a lawyer about your circumstances. If we don’t think that hiring a lawyer is the best decision for your case, we will let you know.
