When Should You Hire Injury Lawyers?

If you've been injured at the hand of another, you may be considering hiring a personal injury lawyer. But should you?

There are many types of personal injury accidents. With some, it may make more sense to hire a personal injury lawyer than others. Let's look at the most common.

Auto Accidents

If you've been involved in a car accident, you should first contact your own insurance company. If you live in a no-fault state, your insurance company will handle your claim. No fault means you do not need to prove someone caused your accident. However, some no-fault states will allow you to sue the other driver if your injury-related medical bills and property damage exceed your policy limits.

If you live in a fault state, you can depend on the other driver's insurance to cover your injuries and car repairs -- if the other driver's insurance company agrees its client caused the accident. Even if the other driver's insurance company cooperates, you will not get compensation for any pain and suffering or other non-economic damages that are harder to tabulate.

In the event of an auto accident in a fault state, you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney if:

• You want to collect money for pain and suffering
• The other driver's insurance limits are too low to cover all of your damages
• The other driver's insurance company disputes its client is at fault

Boating Accidents & Trucking Accidents

Boating and trucking accidents may seem similar to automobile accidents. However, the laws governing boats and trucks are different and complex. They may involve both state and federal laws.

If you've been injured in a boating or trucking accident, you want to talk to personal injury lawyers who regularly represent boating accident or trucking accident victims right away.

Slip-and-Fall Accidents & Dog Bites

Insurance policies often cover for injuries that their clients' property causes, whether that's a slippery floor or a dog bite. However, the insurance companies may try to deny your claim by saying you contributed to your own injury. For example, maybe you missed a caution sign by recently mopped floor or you agitated the dog before it bit you.

Having a personal injury lawyer can help you prove a property owner is at fault for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer can walk you through the litigation process to help you clinch a favorable settlement or jury award.

Medical Malpractice & Product Liability Claims

Sue for It or Lose It

Your state's laws dictate how long after an accident you have to file a lawsuit. These deadlines are found in the state's statute of limitations. The deadline for one type of case - say, a car accident -- may be different from the statute of limitations for other types of cases, such as product liability cases.

If a deadline passes you by and you fail to file a lawsuit, you lose your ability to seek compensation. You should talk to personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the incident that caused the injury.

When to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

Here are some good rules of thumb for when you might need a personal injury lawyer. Call one if:

• You have injuries that may require surgery or long-term treatment, such as physical therapy
• Your injuries may leave you permanently impaired
• Your injuries have caused you to miss more than a few days of work
• You have any type of head or brain injury
• You have a prior injury or medical condition that may have been aggravated by the new injury
• The other party's lawyer contacts you to discuss a settlement, because you should probably have your own attorney to negotiate for you