You may be looking at this web site because you do not want to hire a lawyer to make this claim for you. Your reluctance, or even refusal, to hire a lawyer for your injury claim is understandable. However, there are some things you should consider about hiring a lawyer for a personal injury claim that are different from other legal matters.
I Only Know The Big Advertisers and Don't Want Them
Many people don't know a lawyer personally. You may only know the ones that run ads on television and in the phone books. Many consumers would prefer not to use those firms for a variety of reasons. Well, congratulations! You have found a competent personal injury lawyer in Arizona that is not in one of those firms.
Lawyers are Expensive
Chances are pretty good that you have never hired a lawyer before. If you have, it may have been an expensive and unpleasant experience in a divorce, bankruptcy, contract dispute, etc. You probably paid your lawyer no matter what the outcome of your case. Here is the good news: In a personal injury case, the attorney is paid out of the case. The attorney only gets paid if a settlement or judgment is successfully obtained. This should take the pressure off of you and place it where it belongs-- on your lawyer to effectively represent you in the claim.
My Injuries Are Not “Serious,” or “Catastrophic”
You have likely seen law firms that emphasize “serious” injuries. This usually means that they are not interested in claims unless they involve permanent injuries, orthopedic trauma, broken bones, or surgery. Many attorneys no longer represent clients who have soft tissue or connective tissue injuries only–like whiplash or neck and back, sprain/strain injuries. I do represent clients with serious injuries, but most of my clients have the more common neck and back injuries associated with many car collisions. Even if your claim does not fall into the category of a “serious” injury, it is still disruptive to you, and you are entitled to fair treatment for your claim. And you will still be better protected with legal representation.
Lawyers are Dishonest
Although every profession has its black sheep, my own experience with attorneys has shown me that the vast majority of lawyers are honest men and women trying to do what is right. I, myself, am a lawyer. But I am first a husband, father, and follower of Christian principles. Unfortunately, the dishonest people get the news headlines, so it is easy to become skeptical. Again, in a personal injury claim, you have added protections against dishonesty. There is little room for misrepresentation in an auto accident claim. You remain in charge of any settlement. You approve the amount and distribution of the funds. You will know and approve the settlement or judgment amount, and who is getting the money, before anything is paid to anyone. The Rules of Ethics that regulate attorneys require that the attorney's fee be reasonable.
Lawyers Will Take Money I Could Have Kept
This one seems obvious, doesn't it? If you share a percentage with an attorney, you will get less money, right? Not usually. Let me give a hypothetical to illustrate why you will likely have more money even after paying an attorney in a personal injury claim: At the end of your treatment you have $3,000 in medical bills. On your own you make a claim, and the insurance company ultimately offers $4,000 total for your personal injury claim. After paying your medical bills, you keep $1,000. Now, lets say that you hire a lawyer and he or she gets an $8,000 offer to settle. Your attorney negotiates the medical bill down to $2,500 and takes $2,500 for a fee. If the costs are $100, then you pocket $2,900 after paying everyone-- almost 3 times what you would have achieved on your own. Plus, an attorney did the work, you avoided the headaches of dealing with the insurance company, and your attorney can file the lawsuit if the case does not settle.
Yes, this was only an example, and every case is different. But I have seen similar scenarios play out hundreds of times in my own practice. They happen every day. You may be asking, as I do, why the insurance companies don=t just offer more money to the individual making a claim without a lawyer. I do not know. There must be enough people accepting the low offers because they do not know the claim is worth more. A lawyer can help protect you from that same mistake.
FDA Rejects Ban on OTC Medicines for Kids under Six On Oct. 6, 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a proposal by groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics to ban OTC (over-the-counter) cold and cough medicines for children under six years old. Last year, a panel gathered by the FDA recommended that...
Illinois Mom Files Suit on Behalf of Injured Daughter A woman living in Illinois filed a lawsuit against Glen-Ed Soccer Club and a volunteer coach on behalf of her daughter who was allegedly inured by an ineligible player.
Kristen McCarthy claims that her daughter, Alexis, was injured by a member of an opposing team who shou...
MO Football Player Suffers Spinal Cord Injury A Missouri football player suffered serious spinal cord injuries that temporarily paralyzed him during practice. Senior linebacker, Drew Gordon, sustained severe injuries Sept. 9 after being kneed in th...
Man Suffers Burn Injuries in Las Vegas Hotel Fire A fire that started in a hotel room at the Las Vegas Bellagio casino resort left one hotel guest injured and several others complaining about smoke inhalation. The hotel fire that allegedly started when a mattress caught fire occurred at 5:50 a.m. Sept 23.
According to S...
New York Fisherman Awarded $18.3 Million after Being Paralyzed in Ferry Crash A New York fisherman who was paralyzed in the 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash was recently awarded $18.3 million, more than double the amount awarded to any of the victims who settled before trial.
Back in 2003, shortly after the crash, the city asked a judge to limit the...