When it comes to pursuing a claim, it can seem overwhelming. As someone who may go after a claim by themselves they will have to

When it comes to pursuing a personal injury claim, it can seem overwhelming. As someone who may go after a claim by themselves, they will have to deal with insurance adjusters, attorneys, and pleading requirements if they file a lawsuit. In addition to the requirements of the courts, constant phone calls, letters, and paperwork, there is the amount of money that is required to file a lawsuit and to obtain the documents needed. You may find yourself asking: is hiring a personal injury attorney worth it? There are somethings that you can use to determine whether or not hiring a plaintiff's attorney is beneficial for you and your claim.

How much is my claim worth?

Well, this depends on a lot of circumstances. First is the question of liability: Did the defendant cause the plaintiff's injuries? This is the first step to determine whether or not you should hire an attorney. If the at-fault individual had a trap hidden on his property that you stepped in and he knew that someone would then he is more than likely at fault for your injuries. If you were rear-ended in Missouri, then that driver is at fault. When liability is at question, or there is a question as to whether or not you contributed to your injuries, then that would devalue your claim as a percentage would be taken off your settlement if you contributed to your injuries. The second question is in regards to your economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages would be your medical bills, pharmacy bills, lost wages, or anything that has a tangible and exact number. Non-economic damages would be your pain and suffering that you have from the result of the accident. This is hard to evaluate the amount, and your injuries play into whether or not an insurance company, or jury, will give you additional money. If you had an open fracture from a hard motor vehicle collision, juries, and insurance companies will value that pain and suffering higher than a soft-tissue injury that required some physical therapy.

When Should I Hire an Attorney?

An attorney can bring peace of mind to this extremely stressful and always constant situation. At Bautista LeRoy, we contact insurance adjusters and deal with defense attorneys regarding litigation daily. The endless paperwork, emails, phone calls, and negotiating is a lot to handle for people who were just injured in a motor vehicle accident when they should be focusing on their medical treatment and just going about their lives. You should also consider hiring an attorney when filing a lawsuit becomes more of a reality than a possibility. Court deadlines are strict and are easy to miss for individuals who do not deal with litigation on a daily basis. Additionally, insurance adjuster are more likely to play games with individuals who do not have representation because they do not know the tricks adjusters play. If you feel like you are being taken advantage of by an insurance adjuster, then it is more likely you should hire an attorney to go to bat for you.

Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

The law firm of Bautista LeRoy is here to help you out. If you believe a claim, please contact us, and we will set up a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys to help evaluate your needs and your claim. We take time to learn about you, your situation and assess what's the best situation for you.