Even though the time factor in personal injury claims is easy to ignore, it is a key determiner in settlements. The earlier you bring a lawyer on board, the higher the chances of a better payout.
Sarasota personal injury lawyer also offers advisory services, which help to avoid common mistakes clients make when dealing with insurance companies. Here are some of the additional reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer as early as possible.
The Earlier You Hire a Lawyer, the More Time They Have in Case Preparations
Contacting a personal injury lawyer (early) gives you a negotiating edge as they have more time to create a good and convincing case. The lawyer has more time to look at the insurance documents, the accident details, and any other related detail that may change the direction of your case. With all the information, the lawyer creates a convincing offer to the insurance company.
If complications arise in the negotiations and the other party decides to explore other legal options such as courts, the time spent by your lawyer researching and building the case pays off. They can still represent the same findings to a judge, raising the chances of getting a fair payout.
Suppose you hire a legal professional after some weeks or months. In that case, they may not have the luxury to collect as much information as possible, making it hard to negotiate a reasonable settlement.
Working With a Lawyer From the Onset Helps in the Documentation and Sorting of Evidence
The legal professional is also responsible for arranging and sorting out documentation. In any negotiations with an insurance company, the quality of evidence determines the compensation.
If you do not have a legal representation, it may be hard to sort out evidence and compile quality evidence, jeopardizing the chance of reasonable compensation. However, when you work with a lawyer, they do all the heavy lifting by sorting the available evidence and collecting as much evidence as possible.
Besides maximizing your chances for a better payout, the lawyer helps in saving time. Unlike you, they have dedicated teams that have experience collecting data, sorting evidence, and compiling all the pieces.
If the case proceeds to trial, they use the same evidence to argue your case, saving you time and, more importantly, maximizing the chances of winning and getting fair compensation.
Contacting the Lawyer Shortly After the Accident Helps in Protecting Your Interests Against Other Parties in the Case
Besides the insurance company, you may face other parties. For example, if there were injuries, medical liens and subrogation claims may affect the progression of negotiations.
The health insurance providers and medical providers may want to protect their interests, affecting the overall settlement and, more importantly, affecting your interests. If you delay longer to involve a lawyer in your case, your chances for fairness may continue to shrink.
However, if you bring a lawyer on board, they will help to negotiate with the medical providers and other insurance providers, mainly health insurance companies. The legal professional will negotiate on your behalf with the other parties and help to lower medical liens and other subrogation claims.
Thanks to their understanding of different laws, they can achieve fair deals on your behalf, which may not be the case if you handle the negotiations without professional help.
The Injuries May Not Be As Simple as You May Have Thought
One of the saddest realities about personal injuries is the high probability of underestimating the injury. You may be tempted to think that a few scrapes or a bruised arm are minor.
As a result, you may take any offer from the insurance company. Unfortunately, if the bruised arm or the scrapes become a bigger problem, it may be hard to renegotiate the settlement with an insurance company.
However, hiring a lawyer as early as possible protects you from possible under-settlement. They understand that the injuries may be more than they seem to be, therefore negotiating for a higher settlement.
If the need to renegotiate the offered settlement arises, lawyers know where to start and how to avoid mistakes along the way. So, hiring a lawyer as soon as you suffer injuries is a good idea.
When you have been involved in an accident, legal representation may not be on your top priority list. However, when everything is taken care of and you have received medical assistance, you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
The earlier you hire them, the higher the chance of getting a fair settlement. Also, involving a legal professional in the early stages of your legal process saves time and resources.