Accidents that result in injury can be physically, emotionally, and financially taxing. When those accidents occur as a result of negligence or malice, victims deserve fair and reasonable compensation for their personal injuries and other losses. That’s why many accident victims turn to personal injury law firms to help them file a claim for compensation. However, there are certain types of cases that don’t always require the help of a legal professional. Below, our San Antonio legal team breaks down when to hire a personal injury lawyer, and when to handle your case alone.
If you’re interested in hiring a personal injury attorney, look no further than the San Antonio personal injury lawyers at Janicek Law. We’ll file a claim with the negligent party’s insurance company and provide you with aggressive legal representation throughout the entire process. Call us at 210-366-4949 and schedule a free initial consultation with one of our experienced attorneys today.
What is a Personal Injury Attorney?
A personal injury attorney is a legal professional who specializes in filing personal injury claims or personal injury lawsuits. When someone is injured in an accident, and the accident was someone else’s fault, the injury victim can recover fair compensation for their injuries in a personal injury claim. This can include compensation for things like medical bills, emotional distress, and funeral expenses, in the event of a wrongful death.
Texas is an “at-fault” state, meaning that when someone injures another person, they are liable for the victim’s injuries. In an at-fault state, a personal injury lawyer can help a victim file an injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company, so that they can receive the compensation they deserve.
What Kind of Cases Do Personal Injury Lawyers Handle?
A Texas personal injury lawyer will be able to cover a wide variety of cases, including:
- Auto accidents;
- Product liability injuries;
- Premises liability injuries;
- Medical malpractice accidents;
- Assault/sexual assault injuries;
- And more.
Different personal injury law firms may have different fields that they specialize in, like medical malpractice or auto accidents. At Janicek Law, we handle it all. If you have been the victim of negligence, we want to help you seek justice. Call us at 210-366-4949 and schedule a consultation with us to discuss your injury claim.
Personal Injury Claims That May Not Require a Lawyer
In many cases, a personal injury attorney can be essential to recovering compensation in a personal injury lawsuit or claim. In other cases, however, victims may not need to hire a personal injury lawyer at all. Below, we’ll go through some of the situations in which you may not need a legal team to assist you in your personal injury claim.
Accidents With No Injuries or Very Minor Injuries
If you are in an accident and you sustain minimal injuries, it may be best to handle your personal injury claim yourself. An accident lawyer can help you file for compensation, but if it’s clear that you will not be receiving a substantial payout, all or most of your awarded compensation may wind up going to your attorney.
For example, if you slip and fall in a grocery store and you sprain your wrist, you may only receive a couple hundred dollars in compensation. That small amount will cover your medical bills and compensate you for your pain and suffering, but it will not cover the expenses involved in hiring a lawyer to help you with your claim. In this case, you may end up paying a personal injury law firm out of pocket after your case is resolved, leaving you with less than you started with before the injury.
No-Fault States
Different states handle personal injury cases differently. In some states, when you’re in an accident, you file a claim with your own insurance company regardless of who was at fault. These are called no-fault states. If you are injured and you live in a no-fault state, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries without having to negotiate with someone else’s insurance company. While an attorney can help you file a no-fault claim, you’ll probably be able to file the claim on your own.
Receiving the Maximum Insurance Policy Amount
In some cases, there is a limit to the amount of compensation a person can receive in a personal injury case. If you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible for your injuries, a personal injury lawyer won’t be able to help you earn any more money from the other person’s insurance company.
Effective Negotiation With an Insurance Adjuster
Many victims are completely capable of negotiating with an insurance company on their own behalf without a middleman. Additionally, while claims adjusters are going to act with their insurance company’s best interests in mind, many of them are understanding and willing to work with victims to ensure they receive a fair payout. This helps their insurance company avoid a personal injury lawsuit and helps you recover financial compensation for your losses.
Doing Independent Research
While the legal process of filing a personal injury claim can be difficult, it’s possible to navigate the system without being a legal professional. If you are able to do your own research regarding Texas personal injury law and the claims process, you may be able to receive compensation without a personal injury attorney’s help.
When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
While some accidents don’t require a personal injury lawyer, there are certain situations in which a personal injury lawyer can be incredibly beneficial. Some of those situations include accidents that result in catastrophic injuries or instances where the other party’s insurance company refuses to provide victims with fair compensation.
If you have been severely injured in an accident, or you’re being denied compensation by a bad faith insurance company, you should hire an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. The legal team at Janicek Law can take you through every step of the process and help you receive the financial compensation you deserve. Call us at 210-366-4949 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with us.
Wrongful Acts That Result in Major Injuries
A severe injury like a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or amputation injury could permanently disable a person, likely altering every facet of their life. It’s important that victims of severe injuries receive the maximum compensation for their injuries. A personal injury lawyer can help ensure that victims recover compensation for things like medical expenses, assistive medical equipment, disability, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of earning potential, and loss of consortium.
Pain and Suffering Damages
Another tricky aspect of some personal injury cases is non-economic damages. Victims can seek compensation for losses that they suffered from that weren’t financial in nature. For example, if a person is in a serious car accident, they can experience a lot of physical and emotional suffering. This kind of suffering can be incredibly difficult to live through and live with, especially when victims have to endure it as a result of a preventable incident.
Experienced personal injury lawyers can help injury victims recover compensation for these difficult-to-quantify losses like pain and suffering damages. They can also help victims recover compensation for emotional distress and mental anguish. While this can’t undo any of the pain, it can at least give victims financial peace of mind.
Complicated Insurance Negotiations
Unfortunately, some insurance companies will engage in bad faith practices and try to limit the amount of compensation they have to pay accident victims. They can do this by refusing to investigate negligence claims, causing intentional delays, and denying victims any amount of compensation.
Personal injury lawyers will have an intimate understanding of the state’s personal injury laws, the insurance claim process, and the most common bad faith insurance tactics. Without a personal injury attorney’s expertise, it can be nearly impossible for victims to stand up against insurance companies.
Benefits of Hiring an Experienced Lawyer to Handle Your Personal Injury Claim
For some, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer is the best decision for them and their personal injury claim. If you are injured in an accident, a personal injury attorney can inform you of your legal rights to compensation and guide you through the process of filing a claim and negotiating for compensation. If the other party doesn’t want to provide you with a fair settlement offer, your attorney can also help you file a personal injury lawsuit so you can receive compensation for things like medical expenses and property damage.
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning if they don’t win your case, you don’t have to pay them anything. That means you’ll have access to free legal resources until you receive compensation. At Janicek Law, we cover all upfront costs and can even help with your medical bills so that you can focus more on healing. When you consider this, hiring an experienced attorney seems like a no-brainer.
Call a San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer at Janicek Law Today
Personal injury cases can be difficult to navigate. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. When you hire a personal injury lawyer, you hire an expert who will fight on your behalf and help you secure a fair settlement or trial verdict.
If you have suffered from injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, call Janicek Law at 210-366-4949 and schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced attorney today. Not sure if you have a valid claim? No problem. We can evaluate the circumstances surrounding your accident and can help advise you on the best course of action.
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