Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you have suffered an injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, you might be wondering whether you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim.
The short answer to your question is – yes, you do need a lawyer to handle your personal injury claim.
Why does legal representation matter in a New York personal injury claim? Let us take a look.
Determining the Value of Your Claim
Your case may be worth a lot of money, but only a consultation with a lawyer looking at the facts of your case can give you a realistic idea of its value. While you might be able to calculate the value of tangible losses like lost wages and medical expenses, only an experienced personal injury lawyer can determine the value of intangible losses like pain and suffering and permanent disfigurement.
Simply put, without a lawyer, you might undervalue your claim and end up settling for a fraction of what you might have actually recovered if you had hired a lawyer in the first place.
Determining Liability
The single biggest issue in a personal injury claim is determining who can be held liable and to what extent their negligence contributed to your injuries. It is particularly important if your own negligence was also a contributory factor to the accident.
Under New York’s shared fault law, the compensatory damages you are awarded can be reduced if it is established that you were partially at fault for the accident.
For instance, if you are awarded $200,000, and if it is found that you were 20% at fault, your compensation will be reduced by 20% and you will only receive $160,000.
Knowing this, the defendants will always look to pin liability on you. Only a proven and reliable personal injury lawyer can gather the evidence needed to establish the defendant’s fault and make sure you are not unfairly deprived of the compensation you are entitled to.
Negotiating with the Insurance Company
Negotiating with an insurance adjuster is not something you can do on your own. Claims adjusters are highly skilled and trained negotiators who know how to back you into a corner and make you accept whatever settlement is offered to you.
Unless you are represented by a seasoned New York personal injury lawyer, you will almost certainly be talked into accepting a lowball offer.
Choose the Right New York Personal Injury Lawyer to Handle Your Claim
Representing yourself in a personal injury claim is not a good idea, especially if you have suffered serious injuries and if your earning capacity is reduced greatly. The personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff can provide you with aggressive, result-oriented legal representation and fight relentlessly to recover every penny you are entitled to under the law.
Led by Michael S. Lamonsoff – who is known as ‘The Bull’ for his formidable legal knowledge, aggressive negotiation skills, and no-holds-barred attitude – our legal team is capable of getting results that most of our peers cannot.
To discuss your claim with a committed New York personal injury lawyer, call us today at 212-962-1020 or contact us online and schedule a free consultation.