When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
April 20, 2021 | Accidents,Personal Injury
If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual or business, you should be able to obtain compensation for your losses. However, securing adequate compensation in these situations can be challenging. Regardless of whether or not you expect an injury claim to be resolved through a settlement with an insurance carrier or think that the claim will go all the way to a trial, you need to consider hiring a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Here, we want to discuss why a Seattle personal injury attorney should be hired as soon as you know that you have been injured due to the actions of someone else.
Right After an Injury Occurs
The absolute best time to seek assistance from a personal injury lawyer in Washington is as soon as you know you have sustained an injury caused by the negligence of another party. The reality is that the evidence necessary to prove liability after an injury occurs will begin to disappear almost as soon as the initial emergency is over.
The first priority of any injury victims is to seek medical care for their injuries. However, there is no harm in calling a personal injury lawyer in Washington who can begin investigating the incident as soon as possible. Some of the evidence that an attorney can work to gather quickly includes the following:
- Video surveillance from nearby cameras
- Statements from eyewitnesses
- Safety records of individuals or companies involved
- Any property damaged by the incident
Whether accidentally or intentionally, it is not uncommon for those involved in personal injury cases to misplace, discard, or destroy evidence needed to prove liability. However, when an attorney gets involved, they can gather and preserve this evidence so that it can be used in an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
If You Wait, Reach Out When Insurance Carriers Become Difficult
There are various reasons why injury victims may wait before contacting an attorney. This is understandable because many people think that they will be able to handle their insurance claims by themselves. The vast majority of personal injury claims in Washington are resolved through settlement with insurance carriers. However, we need to point out that insurance carriers are typically “for-profit” entities looking to do anything that they can to limit how much money they pay in a settlement.
If you wait to contact an attorney, the next best time to reach out from legal assistance is as soon as you realize the insurance carrier is going to put up a fight when it comes to you securing the compensation you need. A skilled attorney will be able to handle every aspect of these claims on your behalf, including all communication and negotiation with the insurance carriers. An attorney will fully review the insurance policy, craft a demand letter that lets the insurance carrier know how much compensation you are seeking, and vigorously negotiate for a fair settlement.
In the event an insurance carrier denies a claim or refuses to offer a fair settlement, it may be necessary for a personal injury lawyer to file a lawsuit on behalf of their client in civil court. These cases can become incredibly challenging, but when an attorney has been involved in the case from the beginning, they will have a much easier time handling the civil lawsuit process.