When it comes to hiring a personal injury lawyer, Joliet, IL, residents should put legal experience at the top of their criteria list. If you have suffered mental trauma and physical injuries from another party’s negligence, you will need someone competent to represent your interests. Otherwise, along with not being in the frame of mind to deal with the complicated legalities, you might find yourself at a disadvantage in confronting the insurance company’s legal team.
Insurance companies are not in the business of distributing wealth, and they will exhaust every possible legal loophole to limit or deny your injury claim. With the right legal representation, however, you may be able to get what you deserve.
Here’s why experience matters when hiring your personal injury lawyer:
• To get a favorable outcome in your personal injury case, you will need to find someone who specializes in that type of legal issue. For instance, if your case involves medical malpractice, you want a lawyer who routinely handles such cases.
• Before they accept you as a client, the lawyer will evaluate the merits of your case. Given their experience in the field, they will be able to determine if your case could prevail and what your chances are of winning acceptable compensation.
• The lawyer will know the correct legal procedure to follow for filing your personal injury claim and will make sure that you fill in all the mandatory information and submit it within the legally stipulated time-frame.
• Given their legal experience, the lawyer will be able to advise you about your role during the legal proceedings and what you can expect.
• The lawyer will know which type of evidence will be necessary for upholding your personal injury case, and how to collect and organize it. They will gather photographs, videos, medical reports, medical subscriptions, medical bills, police statements, eyewitness statements, proof of job loss or missed workdays, and more.
• The personal injury lawyer will know how to communicate and negotiate with the insurance company’s claims adjuster. They will offer tips on what you should or shouldn’t say, and how you should present yourself during the investigation.
• The lawyer will review any medical authorization forms that the insurance company requires you to sign. They will make sure that there are no clauses there that give the insurance company unfettered access to all your health records, including those that have nothing to do with the injury case.
• The lawyer will know if the settlement offer is fair, considering the extent of your injuries and their long-term consequences and the overall impact on your life. If it is not adequate, they will negotiate with the claims adjuster to get you a better one.
• If the insurance company denies your claim, the personal injury lawyer will be able to present a convincing argument in your favor and make them reconsider it. Your lawyer will also defend you if the insurance company tries to hold you partially responsible for the injury.
• If a settlement is not possible, the personal injury lawyer will be willing to take the matter to trial and present a strong case in your favor in court. Successful litigation requires advanced legal skills and knowledge that only years of courtroom experience can bring.
Before hiring a personal injury lawyer Joliet IL, residents should make sure that the lawyer takes cases on a contingency basis. What this means is that they will accept legal fees from you only if they win the case. If you lose the case, you won’t have to pay them anything. However, you may still have to pay for the legal expenses they incurred while preparing the case, such as travel expenditure, form fees, and paying experts and witnesses. It is best to inquire at the start about these expenses so that you will know what to expect and can make adequate financial arrangements beforehand.
Overall, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer will make a significant difference in how your legal case pans out. You will stand a better chance of getting justice and receiving the right amount of compensation for the suffering, losses, and life changes that resulted from your injuries.