The advice of a personal injury attorney can never hurt, and in most cases, it can be of help. There are certain instances, however, where the services of a personal injury lawyer may not be required. No matter your reasons for forgoing the services of a lawyer, know that you have higher chances of settling successfully than you may think. Here are three personal injury cases you may be able to take on by yourself.
Case #1 – Automobile Accident When You Were Clearly Not At Fault
Some car accidents require a bit of police investigation to determine who is really at fault, but in instances where the fault is clearly on the other driver, representing yourself can be as easy as one-two-three. For these cases, a few phone calls may be all it takes to settle with the other driver's insurance company out of court.
Case #2 – Accidents on Someone Else's Property
These claims can be handled very similarly to car accident claims because there is usually an insurance company involved. In many cases, even if the injury was not a result of poor lighting or other preventable issues, the insurance company will settle if you can prove negligence of any kind. If the homeowner is willing to work with you, and if you were not acting dangerously when the injury occurred, hiring a personal injury attorney would be considered unnecessary. The very purpose of insurance is to cover the things in life that happen unexpectedly, so barring any peculiar circumstances, handling this on your own will be a breeze.
Case #3 – Defective Products
When using a product in a way that is specified as its use, it is reasonable to assume that you will not suffer any injuries or ill effects. If you have been injured through the use of a defective or otherwise dangerous product, proving it may not be as hard as you think. If you believe the defect was caused by a manufacturing error, you will most likely be able to find other consumers with a similar complaint. The same is true for those products that do not properly label or otherwise warn consumers of possible hazards.
If you've been injured through no fault of your own, you may be able to collect damages without the use of a personal injury attorney. Many personal injury cases are settled through insurance agencies outside of court, meaning if you can prove that your injury was due to the negligence or fault of another, you won't be subjected to court hearings and unnecessary legal fees. In cases that are not so clear cut, or where you are facing extreme opposition, consulting a personal injury lawyer may be for the best. For more information and help deciding if you need a lawyer, work with a firm such as Dodge & Altamura Attorneys At Law.
Share2 December 2014
Like many people, I once found learning about law very intimidating. My brother went to law school and I remember glancing through a few of his books and wondering if I was actually reading English due to all of the legal jargon in them! However, when I ended up in a sticky legal situation due to accidentally breaking a small law I didn't know existed, I realized that I needed to learn more about the law, so I could make sure to follow it precisely in the future. My brother helped to break down some complicated legal concepts to me, and I have since been studying up online. I want to post what I have learned and continue to learn about law in the future on my new blog, so my knowledge cannot only help myself, but also help others!