What Can an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Do for Your Case?
John Peterson learned the value of experience several years ago when his property management company was sued on a personal injury claim. Although he felt he had a strong case, he decided to hire an experienced Personal Injury Attorney. During the case, the plaintiff’s attorney brought-up a unique technical issue, which a less-experienced lawyer would have likely missed. However, John’s experienced attorney had dealt with this specific issue in the past, and knew how to navigate around it, turning it back on the opposition to John’s benefit. This simple move was critical to the case, and was the linchpin in allowing John and his company to come out victorious, saving them from having to pay-out a potentially large settlement.
While searching for a lawyer, John was advised by his Board of Directors to hire someone with specific experience versus retaining a generalist. They also advised him to look at experience and success history rather than focus on the cost of representation. This turned out to be rather sound advice. Had John hired a less experienced and/or cheaper lawyer to handle the lawsuit, he may not have had a successful outcome. In this case, paying more for experience and talent ended up costing him less in the long-run. Hiring a lawyer with specialized experience is vital to any business, especially given the fact that one lawsuit can potentially bankrupt or financially dismantle a company.
If you have recently been sued for personal injury or have been personally injured, you may wonder whether you need to hire a specialized Personal Injury Attorney or if a generalist can handle your case sufficiently. There is a significant difference between the two, and that difference might end up saving your company from bankruptcy or getting you the pay-out you deserve.
Here are a few things an experienced Personal Injury Attorney can do for you:
Call the Insurer’s Bluff 
Insurance companies use a variety of tactics to put off claimants from getting a full payout – or any payout at all. Insurers rely on the fact that average people don’t know personal injury law, and may be vulnerable to intimidation, misinformation, delaying tactics or an array of other strategies. These tactics are designed purely to make a claimant go away quietly without getting a proper pay-out for their injuries and/or damage.
A good Personal Injury Attorney knows all of the insurer tricks, and can call their bluff when the insurer attempts to prevaricate or delay making a payment. Your Personal Injury attorney can prepare the paperwork to demand the settlement you deserve.
Call the Plaintiff’s Bluff
If you or your company are being sued for personal injury, an experienced Personal Injury Attorney can ferret out bogus claims, as well as handle things quickly and efficiently, saving you and your company time and money.
Prepare the Documentation to Substantiate Your Claim
You’ll need a variety of documentation to back up your personal injury claim, such as:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Statements from your employer regarding time off or other employment-related claims
If the insurer decides to contest your claim, you may also need documentation such as reports from medical experts, depositions going into detail about your injuries and how they occurred, and/or additional legal documentation supporting your claim.
Most people have no idea where to begin when it comes to preparing the documentation to substantiate a personal injury claim. An experienced Personal Injury Attorney knows exactly what you need, and can prepare the documentation in an efficient and thorough manner. The better the documentation, the better the settlement.
Negotiate an Equitable Settlement on Your Behalf
A good negotiator knows that it’s a bad idea to negotiate on your own behalf. An experienced Personal Injury Attorney is a skilled negotiator who can work with the insurer to get you an equitable settlement. Without an experienced and specialized lawyer to negotiate your settlement, you’re likely to get a low-ball offer, and you won’t know the points to leverage in order to improve the settlement offer.
File a Lawsuit if the Insurer Won’t Pay
Insurers frequently resist paying personal injury claims. It’s part of the business. Even if you prepare a thorough settlement demand, the insurer may decide to take their chances and not pay. If the insurer chooses this strategy, you’ll need to file a lawsuit to force the insurer’s hand. Your Personal Injury Attorney can take care of the legal documentation that goes along with filing, and will handle the myriad of deadlines and motions that accompany a legal case.
Evaluate the Insurer’s Behavior
Sometimes an insurer steps over the line and the company’s behavior falls into the realm of unfair and deceptive practices. For example, if you prepare a settlement demand that complies with personal injury law, and the insurer simply doesn’t reply, the failure to reply may constitute unfair and deceptive practices. When this happens, you may be entitled to punitive damages against the insurer – sometimes double or triple the damages you’d otherwise be entitled to receive. An experienced Personal Injury Attorney can monitor the insurer’s behavior, and ensure you get the damages you’re entitled to if the insurance company doesn’t act in good faith.
Determine Whether Additional Parties May be at Fault in Your Case
There are some cases where it’s not just one party, but multiple parties that are at fault in an accident. For example, if a car accident is caused by brake failure, the driver might not be the only defendant. You might also pursue the shop that last worked on the brakes, or even the car’s manufacturer – any party that could play a role in the incident that caused your injury.
A good Personal Injury Attorney will follow all of the leads to determine whether there might be additional parties at fault. This can be particularly critical if your medical bills exceed the other party’s insurance policy – you might be able to make up the difference through a third party defendant.
A Good Personal Injury Attorney is an Invaluable Tool for Your Case
Every personal injury case is different, but all insurers use tactics to avoid paying out, or to pay less in an accident case. This is why it’s critical to enlist the aid of an experienced Personal Injury Attorney to help with your case. Even if your case seems cut-and-dry, the insurer may use tactics to low-ball your settlement or delay payments. In a more complex case, it’s absolutely vital to work with an experienced Personal Injury Attorney who can evaluate all aspects of your case and pursue the appropriate parties for your claim.
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