While it is not always necessary to retain an injury lawyer, it is important to understand the risks associated with trying to handle a case on your own. The only conditions under which a person can handle a personal injury claim on their own would be the type of case where there are minor medical needs, limited property damage, and a person has not lost time from work, their medical bills have been paid, and they have not suffered a permanent injury.
Under these circumstances, a person may be able to handle the case on their own, however, even then, an individual needs to be careful if they have no experience in the legal, insurance, or medical world. They need to be very careful about handling those claims on their own and that is why it is recommended that they at least speak to a Camden County personal injury lawyer before making the decision to handle the matter own their own. They have the ability to speak with the personal injury for free and an initial consultation will not cost them money. If they retain an attorney, only if there is a recovery would they be responsible for any fee under the contingency fee agreement.
Complexities of a Claim
Even if the Camden County injury claim seems simple, it can quickly turn complex. When somebody is injured in an accident, they only have one opportunity to make a recovery for their damages and that would mean all of their damages. Many times, an insurance company for the other side is quick to try to offer a settlement for somebody injured in return for a signed release. Once an injured person signs a release, they would be barred from ever bringing a claim against the person that injured them. That is why they have to be a very careful in negotiating when representing themselves.
If somebody needed a surgery, they would not perform it they are not a doctor and if they were a doctor, they still would not perform a surgery on themselves, they would refer a specialist to help them. If someone does not have legal or insurance experience, they need to be careful moving forward because they only have one opportunity to make a complete recovery for their claim.
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Common Misconceptions
A common misconception that a person will have is that the insurance company or the owner of the insurance company on the other side is dealing with them in good faith and making them fair offers under the circumstances. What people must understand is the insurance companies specialize in these types of matters. This is what they do on a day in and day out basis. Most people have no experience with insurance claims or lawsuits.
What they can think to be a very simple matter can really be complex. They just simply do not know it and the common misconception that people have is that this is straightforward and they are dealing with straightforward people on the other side. They must consider that, unfortunately, most insurance companies’ interests involve the company’s bottom line and do not have their best interest in mind so they will not be straightforward.
Mistakes To Avoid
One of the biggest mistakes people make before contacting a lawyer is giving recorded statements to the insurance company. These are statements taken by an insurance company whose interests differ from the injured person. What the insurance companies like to do with these recorded statements is use them against the person at a later date. Other mistakes people make are failing to seek appropriate medical care, thinking their injuries are going to go away.
What happens in this instance when handling an accident claim on your own in Camden County is that the more time that passes, the harder it is for you to get the proper medical care. If you delay obtaining medical care, that could be used against you down the road by the insurance company.
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Contacting an Attorney
It is never too late to contact an attorney for assistance in an accident claim, because every case is unique and there are so many factors that go into determining what a person’s timeframe is for suing, what a person’s rights are for suing, and whether or not a delay has been caused.
It is never too late and if the case involves a minor, somebody under the age of 18, their statute of limitations would not even begin to run until the age of 18. A minor involved in an accident has until two years after their 18th birthday to bring a lawsuit or until they are 20 years old. If you do not understand the laws of statute of limitations under New Jersey, you may not understand that you may have additional time to bring a claim. It is never too late to contact a personal injury lawyer. There is no downside to having a better understanding of your rights after presenting the factual circumstances to an attorney.
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