Although you are not legally required to have a personal injury lawyer in Washington, having an attorney on your side offers a number of significant advantages.
An experienced attorney brings an in-depth knowledge of the law to your case. Your attorney understands how to negotiate with the insurance company to help you recover compensation for your injuries and other damages. Your attorney can help you get the resources you need to recover and get your life back on track.
When you choose a Washington personal injury attorney from Kapuza Lighty, PLLC, you will have a powerful advocate on your side, helping protect your rights and fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.
Is It Worth Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney?
Unless you are a legal expert yourself, a personal injury lawyer will have a much greater knowledge of the Washington statutes and case law, particularly those related to negligence and personal injury. Experienced lawyers bring a wealth of knowledge, skills, and abilities to the table and put those resources to work for you.
Investigating and Building Your Claim
An experienced personal injury attorney works daily to help clients obtain insurance settlements for injuries and damages they suffered due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions. This benefits you because your attorney and legal team know how to investigate and obtain the proper evidence to prove the at-fault party’s liability.
Negotiating with the Insurance Company
Your lawyer will understand how the insurance companies work and how to deal with the insurance company’s adjustors and attorneys. Your lawyer will recognize when the insurance company attempts to undervalue your case, tries to stall negotiations, or refuses to negotiate in good faith.
Your lawyer’s strong negotiation skills help ensure that your claim includes all of your damages, potentially including your medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
If you attempt to negotiate with the insurance company’s adjustor or lawyers yourself, you may not recognize their attempts to minimize the company’s damages by offering you an undervalued settlement. You may not recognize other tactics that insurers could use to deny your claim or minimize its value.
Protecting Your Legal Rights
Your personal injury attorney can help you avoid making any statements that could harm your case. Your lawyer will also ensure that you do not sign any documents that would relinquish your rights to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Your lawyer will work to protect your legal rights throughout the legal process. The insurance company’s lawyers may attempt to obtain a recorded statement from you, hoping you will say something that could invalidate your claim or minimize the at-fault party’s liability. Talking to a lawyer before making any statements or signing any document can help protect your right to recover financial compensation.
Providing the Resources You Need
Injury accident lawyers have resources, including investigators and subject matter experts, that can help provide what you need to recover a settlement.
If you’re like most personal injury victims, you may not have access to the type of resources necessary to build a persuasive case. Medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, and others can provide critical opinions and testimony regarding your injuries and their cause. Having these resources allows your lawyer to build a convincing case, whether the outcome is negotiated with the insurance company or a verdict in court.
Calculating Your Claim Value
Knowing how to calculate your claim’s value requires in-depth knowledge of the Washington statutes, relevant case law, and the insurance industry. It also requires understanding the nature and severity of your injuries and how they will affect your life and your future.
This benefits you because your attorney will fight to get you the compensation that provides for your needs and your future.
Standing By Your Side
If you’re injured in a car accident, a motorcycle accident, truck accident, slip and fall, or another type of accident, you can sustain mental and emotional trauma along with your physical injuries. As you struggle to recover and get your life back on track, you need someone who will answer your questions and provide the support you need.
Having a personal injury lawyer on your side ensures that you have a compassionate advocate who is prepared to fight for you and your legal rights. Your lawyer will explain all your options and help you make the right decisions for your future. No matter how complex your case may be or how much time it will take to resolve, your lawyer and legal team will be there, fighting for you until the end.
When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
After a serious injury accident, you need medical treatment and care to recover. If you can’t go back to work, you need a way to pay your bills and expenses. The longer you wait, the more your bills will pile up. To pursue a settlement yourself, you will need plenty of time to do the legwork and a working knowledge of how the process works.
To make a claim with someone’s insurer, you will have to fill out dozens of forms and stay very organized. You will need to keep copies of everything and follow up to make sure that paperwork has been received.
Filing a lawsuit takes even more time. You need to learn the rules and procedure of the court and attend many different court hearings. If you are someone who can get a lot of time off from work, then you might be able to stay on top of everything. But many people soon feel overwhelmed.
Helpfully, Washington has a small claims court with simplified procedures designed for people without lawyers. But the maximum amount you can sue for in small claims court is $5,000. If you want more money, then you’ll need to go to regular civil court, where you must learn all the rules that a lawyer knows.
If that sounds a bit overwhelming, consider getting help sooner rather than later. Reaching out to a personal injury attorney will help you get the resources you need right now. Your attorney will handle every aspect of your case. This means that instead of worrying about your bills and expenses, you can relax, take a deep breath, and focus on your health and recovery.
The sooner your lawyer can get to work on building your personal injury accident claim, the better. Time is of the essence in gathering evidence and documentation to support your claim. Your attorney will handle obtaining evidence and information such as:
- Accident reports,
- Witness statements,
- Accident scene photos and videos, and
- Expert opinions and testimony.
This and other information will play a critical role in identifying the party or parties responsible for your injuries and establishing their liability for your damages.
How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
When you choose a personal injury attorney from Kapuza Lighty, PLLC, you won’t have to worry about out-of-pocket costs. We provide a free initial consultation, and you never owe any legal fees until we recover compensation for your damages.
Talk to a Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Today
With more than 50 years of combined experience, we are passionate about providing assistance to anyone who has been wrongly injured in Yakama or anywhere in Washington.
We will fight to get you the justice you deserve and to recover the maximum compensation for your injuries and other damages. We will be by your side throughout the legal process, providing support and guidance.
For your free consultation and case analysis, call us at 509-822-2189 or contact us now. We look forward to telling you more about how our Washington personal injury lawyers can assist you.