Why You Need A New York Personal Injury Attorney
|Anyone involved in an accident caused by someone else may wonder if they should hire an attorney. Of course, there are some cases where it isn’t needed, but a person with serious injuries or damages in New York should definitely hire a personal injury attorney.
You’ll likely benefit from the expertise of a New York personal injury attorney in the following ways:
Reach A Fair Settlement
Say you’re in a car accident caused by a tractor-trailer driver. You have a broken arm and hip, as well as cuts and bruises. You’re in the hospital for a month and have $74,000 in medical bills and lost earnings.
If you call the truck company’s insurance provider, they’re probably going to take advantage of you. Most of us don’t spend hours on the phone every week negotiating with stingy, aggressive insurance companies. But your personal injury attorney does.
Most car accident claims are settled in negotiations, not in court. So, you’re usually better off with an experienced and successful attorney who can negotiate with the insurer to get you the best settlement.
The personal injury lawyer also can threaten to take the case to court if they can’t get a fair settlement. However, this tactic sometimes can get the insurance company to be reasonable.
Get Your Money Fast
If you can’t work and pay your bills because of your accident injuries, you need money fast. But many auto accident claims take months when the victims handle them alone.
The insurance company knows you probably need money. And they’re content making you wait for money if they think you’ll take a low offer if they drag things out.
When your attorney gets involved, they’ll negotiate aggressively with the insurance company and get your money faster. Attorneys do this for a living, and they know how to get the insurance company to pay more quickly than you do.
And if your attorney’s law firm has an excellent reputation in court, the insurance company will have extra motivation to settle quickly.
Hire Experts
Experienced personal injury law firms have a small army of expert witnesses to get you more settlement money with their testimony.
Say you broke your leg, and it cost you great pay and two months of lost work time. But, on the other hand, perhaps the insurance company says your pain and suffering are being exaggerated.
Your personal injury attorney can bring in a pain management doctor who can testify the amount of pain medication you need to function.
Judges and juries tend to take the word of medical professionals on these matters. Your attorney has experienced witnesses with credibility who can make your case stronger.
Get A Higher Settlement
Some plaintiffs may believe that the personal injury attorney will take too much of their settlement money. This isn’t usually true.
While the personal injury attorney will get between 25% and 33% of your settlement, their expertise is usually worth a lot.
Most car accident victims with severe injuries usually get more money with an attorney than they would have without one.
It’s particularly common for car accident victims to undervalue their pain and suffering, but lawyers know what it’s worth.
Works With Other Attorneys
Experienced personal injury attorneys know attorneys in other fields. So if you’re involved in a case where you need a divorce attorney, for example, your attorney can usually help you.
Your attorney may also know the defense attorney for the other driver, which can be helpful during negotiations.
Hiring a New York personal injury attorney after a car accident gives you peace of mind. And you have a better shot at securing a fair settlement for your injuries.