If you have been harmed in an accident, caused by someone else – whether it was a fall, a car crash, or any other type of mishap – you have the legal right to seek recompense to cover the expenses of your treatment and the pain you experienced through a personal injury claim.
Having said that, it can be frustrating and perplexing to file a claim. Plus, the thought of hiring a personal injury attorney in Clermont, Florida may be very intimidating, particularly to those individuals who have never dealt with the legal system earlier. There are a couple of myths and false beliefs surrounding personal injury law in Florida – and not being aware of the truth about hiring a lawyer to manage your personal injury case can negatively impact your finances in the long run!
MANGAL, PLLC – Clermont Personal Injury Law Firm has been protecting the rights of accident victims for many years, and the law firm boasts a team of highly qualified and experienced personal injury lawyers, who have encountered multiple myths around hiring an accident attorney during their interactions with a wide range of personal injury victims.
Continue reading as we debunk 5 common myths about hiring a personal injury attorney!
Myth #1 – “I don’t need an attorney to file a claim with my insurance company.”
After being involved in an accident, the very first thing the majority of individuals do is that they inform their insurer about the accident, if their physical condition allows them to do so. In fact, many people tend to do this while still being at the accident scene.
There are several reasons why it is not a great idea. For one thing, most individuals are in a state of shock just after an accident; for another, it is usually the moment when it is too soon to understand the full extent of one’s injuries. Why are these two reasons so important? Simply because insurers are not your true well-wishers!
Insurance adjusters may answer your call and sympathize with you. However, one should remember that despite being nice to you, they might not be looking out for the best interest of you. Rather, they work in the best interest of their employer – the insurance company. Hence, they try their best to avoid paying out injury claims as it saves their employers a lot of money.
When you give a statement to your insurance company just after an accident – in the absence of an attorney to guide you – you may utter things that your insurer might use against you later on. This could prevent you from recovering the actual compensation you deserve.
Even if you wait for your condition to stabilize and then try to file the injury claim by yourself, note that you may still be fighting an uphill battle. When you file a claim by yourself, you lower your chance of success.
A skilled personal injury lawyer in Clermont, Florida has the knowledge, experience, and expertise required to make your insurer provide you with the monetary recompense you actually deserve.
In a recent survey, it was found that around 50% of participants received a payout when they tried to get it by themselves, vs. 91% who received compensation with the help of a lawyer. Additionally, participants who didn’t hire a lawyer received, on average, $60,000 less in damages.
Myth #2 – “I can’t afford a personal injury lawyer in Florida.”
Many people believe that hiring a personal injury attorney is an expensive affair. However, this is just another misconception. While hiring other kinds of attorneys might be expensive – such as an estate planning lawyer or a criminal defense attorney – hiring even the most reputed personal injury attorney in Florida is sort of free for everyone.
Let us understand why we say it’s free! The majority of personal injury law firms in Florida charge on the basis of a contingency fee arrangement – according to which, the law firm only gets paid if they help you win the case and you receive monetary compensation. So, the law firm will not be paid directly by you, but they will charge a percentage share of the settlement amount as their legal fees.
If you lose and get nothing, you simply don’t have to pay anything to the law firm. Since the lawyer handling your case makes a fraction of your compensation, they are likely to put in their best efforts to bring the maximum recompense possible, so you can trust their intentions.
The contingency fee arrangement makes personal injury claims and litigation quite affordable for accident victims. In fact, just like most personal injury law firms, MANGAL, PLLC – Clermont Personal Injury Law Firm offers a free initial consultation that allows you to meet with an experienced attorney as well as discuss your case and legal options.
Myth #3 – “My injuries are too minor to hire a lawyer.”
This is yet another common myth about hiring an injury attorney. With respect to injuries in an accident, what may seem “minor” at the time of the accident may turn major later on. Oftentimes, an adrenaline rush prevents injured victims from understanding the full extent of their injuries at the accident scene – and injuries such as neck or brain injuries may take up to 5 days to start showing symptoms.
Victims of so-called “minor” injuries often fail to realize initially that there could be an extremely high expense to treat such injuries. Expenses like an imaging exam to ensure that there are no long-lasting issues, or getting physical therapy as part of your recovery can be much greater than you might think. As per the CDC, the average cost of an emergency room visit in car accident
cases is $3,300 – and if the injured person gets hospitalized, this cost could go up to $57,000. Moreover, there could be copays and deductibles with your health plan.
Hiring an experienced injury attorney can help you obtain compensation to cover these unanticipated expenses.
Myth #4 – “Hiring an attorney to fight for compensation is too much work.”
The harsh reality is that fighting for recompense by yourself is too much work. Personal injury victims often hire lawyers as they make the process hassle-free. An experienced accident lawyer sits with the victim to discuss their case and legal options, investigate their injury case, and oversee the paperwork on their behalf. All you need to do is to cooperate with them in every aspect of your case. In some cases, you are not even required to go to court.
Finding the right lawyer to represent you can be challenging. However, reading reviews, viewing case examples, looking up their awards and accreditations, and reading articles online may help. Since most law firms offer a free initial consultation, you can discuss your case without any obligations, and figure out if they are the right match to work on your case.
Myth #5 – “People Filing Personal Injury Lawsuits are Mere Grabby Opportunists.”
This is perhaps one of the greatest myths about hiring an injury attorney in Florida, and also one of the greatest reasons why victims avoid litigation. For many people, attorneys are ambulance chasers, and individuals who hire lawyers aren’t people of integrity. However, this is just another misconception spread by false stereotypes and misleading news headlines.
In reality, most personal injury lawyers tend to be true to their profession and are dedicated to bringing justice to their clients. If you have sustained injuries in a crash because of someone else’s fault – and you have to pay out of pocket for your treatment and recovery – it is simply not fair.
The bulk of cases that MANGAL, PLLC – Clermont Personal Injury Law Firm handles involve individuals who have sustained severe injuries and have had their lives disrupted considerably. We are passionate about protecting your rights and holding the party at fault responsible for their negligence or wrongdoing. Our experienced accident attorneys in Clermont, Florida will pursue the compensation that you truly deserve.
Trust the Personal Injury Attorneys at MANGAL, PLLC – Clermont Personal Injury Law Firm!
Recently suffered injuries in an accident? Call MANGAL, PLLC – Clermont Personal Injury Law Firm. Reach out to us today to schedule a FREE Consultation!
