If you have been injured in an accident in Texas, you may wonder whether you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. An injury lawyer is a licensed professional who is trained to represent accident victims during insurance claims and lawsuits. You may need a lawyer’s assistance in certain circumstances, such as if an accident gave you serious or catastrophic injuries. Knowing when it is worth it to hire a personal injury lawyer could allow you to properly protect your rights.
When You Need and Do Not Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
Not all cases require personal injury lawyers. You may be able to represent yourself during an injury claim, or handle it pro se, if it is simple and only involves minor injuries. If this is the case, your insurance company or that of the at-fault party may offer a fair settlement award, allowing you to resolve your case without further litigation. You may need an attorney, however, if your case involves complicating factors.
- Serious injuries
- Injuries that will impact you for the foreseeable future
- A permanent disability or debilitation
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Thousands of dollars in medical expenses
- Loss of a limb
- Wrongful death
- Multiple defendants
- Liability dispute
- Comparative negligence or assumption of risk defense
If you run into any issues or complications after filing an insurance claim in Texas, contact an attorney to find out if you need legal assistance. Hiring a lawyer may be necessary to work through complex legal processes or problems. It is especially important to contact an attorney if an accident gave you life-altering injuries. A lawyer will give you advice you can trust, including an accurate calculation of the value of your claim.
If your accident was minor and the damages amount to no more than a few thousand dollars, you can most likely handle an insurance settlement on your own. With a minor injury case, the damages are generally not high enough to be worth the costs of hiring a lawyer or bringing a lawsuit. Instead, you should be able to handle the case yourself with the insurance company or in the Small Claims Court. Managing a minor injury case pro se could save you time and money.
How Much Does an Injury Lawyer Cost?
If you do have serious injuries that require expensive medical treatments, hiring a personal injury lawyer can be well worth the costs. A qualified injury attorney can help you estimate your losses, go up against the correct defendant(s) and fight for maximum compensation. Without an attorney representing you, you may not appreciate the full value of your injury claim. You may take an insurance company at its word when it says a settlement is fair when in reality, the insurance company is lowballing your offer to save money. After hiring a lawyer, you can rest assured of the accuracy of your case estimate.
One of the main obstacles that prevent injured accident victims from hiring lawyers is the cost. Most attorneys, however, have flexible financing options for injured claimants. Lawyers know that the average injured party is dealing with expensive medical bills, lost wages and property damage. To make legal representation more affordable, most personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means the lawyer will only charge legal fees if and when he or she wins the case for the client.
If you hire a lawyer who works on a contingency fee basis, expect to only pay legal fees if your attorney wins a financial award for your case. If not, you generally will not owe any attorney’s fees at the end of your case. If your lawyer does win the case, he or she will subtract legal fees directly from your settlement or jury verdict. This prevents you from ever having to afford a personal injury lawyer out of pocket. Discuss your personal injury case in more detail with an attorney in Texas to ask about the cost of representation.