Wednesday, 2 April 2014

New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer: Reasons To Hire One

By Jacqui Tyron


There are many reasons New Orleans injury victims are reluctant to consider hiring a personal injury lawyer, such as not wanting to file a lawsuit, thinking it will be to expensive, or believing they can take care of everything on their own.

Sometimes because of this, the statute of limitations will expire before they realize they should have filed a claim with the help of a New Orleans personal injury attorney.

Understanding Insurance Companies

Another thing that accident victims fail to realize is that insurance companies are a business. Insurance agents are not there to ensure that the victim's needs are provided for on a long-term basis. It is their job to settle claims as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Sadly, it's common for insurers to pressure an injury victim into a settlement that is lower than they are entitled to. If you have a New Orleans personal injury attorney on your side, they can utilize their skills, experience and legal knowledge to determine the amount of compensation you should seek based on your accident circumstances.

Accident Investigation

Most accident victims don't have the time or resources to thoroughly investigate their own accident claims. It is up to the person filing a lawsuit to prove their claim, and without the proper investigation and legal knowledge, it is very unlikely to be a successful venture.

When you have a New Orleans personal injury attorney assisting you, they can obtain the accident report, talk with witnesses, utilize accident reconstruction experts and collect evidence to build the best case and convince a judge and/or jury that compensation should be awarded.

Negotiating A Settlement

In a best-case scenario, the person who caused the accident accepts responsibility and offers to pay a settlement. The other party may also work with a lawyer who encourages him or her to do this.

Even in this case, having an attorney is a good idea. Negotiating a settlement, particularly with another party's legal representative, can get complicated. A New Orleans personal injury attorney can navigate the process for you and make sure you get a fair and reasonable settlement.

Contingency Fee

A key reason that people often don't look into having an accident lawyer is the fear that it will be very expensive. However, most New Orleans personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means they don't get paid until and unless you do.

Typically, your lawyer will offer you a free initial consultation to review your case and determine whether filing a claim is the right option for you. If it is a viable option, your attorney will work the case with no cost until a settlement is paid or jury award received. Then, your legal fees will be deducted from the compensation you received, with no up-front or out-of-pocket costs.




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