You’re going to have a lot on your plate if you are involved in a car accident with injuries in Minnesota, and many people think that getting a lawyer involved only further complicates things. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and it’s just one of the many misconceptions we hear about why people don’t hire professional representation to assist with their personal injury case. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the most popular reasons why people opt not to hire a lawyer after a car accident, and we explain why these reasons only serve to hurt your ability to collect the compensation you deserve.
I Don’t Need A Car Accident Lawyer Because…
Here’s a look at some of the more common reasons why people incorrectly believe they would not benefit from a lawyer after a Minnesota car accident. They believe they don’t need a car accident lawyer because…
My Injuries Are Minor – Even if you’re only seeking compensation for hundreds or thousands of dollars, you’d benefit from having a lawyer by your side. The insurance company is going to do everything in their power to minimize their liability and limit how much compensation you earn, so don’t let them keep you from getting what you’re owed, even if it doesn’t seem like a life changing amount.
Lawyers Are Expensive – The counter to this argument also ties in with the above reason. You’ve probably heard that lawyers are expensive, but it’s important to realize that a personal injury lawyer operates much differently than a criminal defense lawyer or a divorce lawyer. Personal injury lawyers only get paid when they earn compensation for their clients, and even then they only get a small percentage of the award amount. This means that you’re not shelling out thousands of dollars in upfront costs and out of luck in the event they can’t secure you an award. Oftentimes there are no fees involved until you win your case. Also, because your lawyer gets a percentage of your award, they have a vested interest in getting your the biggest payday possible, because then their slice of pie is bigger. Your interests are completely aligned, and because a lawyer can typically get you a lot more money than you would be able to secure on your own, you may still take home more money by hiring a lawyer, even after paying their fees, than you would have if you sought compensation on your own.
I Can Handle It – We’re not doubting that you can successfully navigate the complex waters of personal injury law and secure a settlement, but we find it hard to believe that an inexperienced civilian will be able to maximize their potential claim award on their own. Your insurance company will have professional legal minds on their side, and even though they are the ones making your payment, that doesn’t mean your interests are aligned. They will nickel and dime you and take advantage of your inexperience to protect their interests. You may be able to reach a settlement, but odds are it will be a fraction of what a lawyer could help you secure.
I Don’t Have Time For All This – It is completely normal to want to put your accident in the past and forget everything, but instances like these are why you have insurance. You deserve to be compensated for economic and non-economic damages you incur as a result of an accident, even if you don’t want to handle filing a claim. That’s where a lawyer comes in. We’ll do all the heavy lifting, claim planning, witness contacting, police report viewing, financial crunching, etc. We may reach out from time to time to get a few answers or have you review or sign a document, but we try to make the claim process as “hands off” as our clients wish. We want you to focus on your health and your family while we focus on getting you the compensation you deserve.
There’s really no downside to at least taking a free consultation with a lawyer and seeing what they have to offer. Remember, they only get paid when you win your case, so they will be open and upfront about your chances, because they aren’t going to want to waste their time either. However, if they believe you have a valid claim, they’ll be more than happy to put their professional experience to work for you. We’ve done it for countless clients in the past, and we want to do it for you in your time of need.
For more information, or to set up that initial consultation with a member of Margolis Law Firm, give Dean Margolis and his team a call today at (952) 230-2700.
