Navigating Legal Challenges: The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury claims are no different from other legal matters. As such, you still need to work with a lawyer. However, unlike a criminal case where you may have a right to a lawyer, there are no such guarantees in a personal injury claim, so you have to make the call to hire or not to hire a lawyer. 

Most people struggle with this decision due to a lack of information about the roles of personal injury lawyers in a claim. This guide looks into this role in detail, which can help make your decision-making much easier. 

Investigating the Facts of the Case

A lawyer's decision to take on your case will depend on its facts. First they will rely on the information you provide them in your initial consultation. While the information is critical, they may need to dig much deeper. 

Most personal injury attorneys charge a contingency on the settlement, so their vested interests demand that they investigate the validity of the case before taking it on. Otherwise, they would be losing money. 

If the facts show a promising case, a lawyer will go into a serious investigative mode, which includes gathering evidence and talking to experts on the subject matter to solidify your case.

Negotiating with Insurers

Over 90 percent of personal injury claims in Kentucky end in settlement, meaning both parties agree on the settlement value to avoid going to trial. This agreement takes some negotiation, a skill most personal injury lawyers have honed over the years and use to ensure their clients get the most out of the negotiations. 

Also, you can only know what compromises to make in the negotiations if you understand both present and future damage valuation. Kentucky’s best personal injury lawyers are knowledgeable in damage valuation, a fact the opposing side knows is critical if placed in the hands of a jury. As such, they will approach the negotiating table with respect to what could potentially happen if the case did proceed to trial, which can make a big difference in their offers. 

Representing You in Court

“The trial phase is among the most complex phases of a personal injury claim” says, attorney Chandler Maze of Maze Law Offices. Also, the stakes can be quite high. Most defendants will not risk going to trial unless they feel the claimant's demands are too outrageous or believe they have had a good shot at winning. 

Ultimately, if your case does go to trial, and is put in front of a jury to decide what damages to award, you want to ensure you have the best legal representation you can find. Since you do not know how your case plays out from the beginning, experience at trial is among the things you want to consider when hiring a lawyer.  

Providing Peace of Mind

Nothing can guarantee absolute peace of mind given your situation after an accident. Having an experienced attorneyhandle your claim, which can also be quite mentally draining, can greatly help. It can also be quite reassuring to know that you have an expert handling your claim and better chances of recovering fair compensation than you would if you went alone. In some cases, your lawyer may be the only source of emotional support, and thanks to their experience working with people in challenging situations, they can be pretty good at it. 

The main reason you should involve a lawyer when navigating a personal injury claim is that you may have a better chance of recovering more with one than without one. According to industry statistics, victims who involve a lawyer have up to five times a better chance of a desirable outcome than those who do not.