I’ve heard some injury attorneys say that anyone who’s injured, in ALL cases, would be better off with an attorney. I don’t agree with that. There are certainly times when I’ve been injured, say, in a minor collision, that I was able to recover fully without a lawyer. If it was a small accident with minor injuries, you can probably handle it yourself, and especially if the other person involved (or their insurance company) is being reasonable.

The difficulties come when the injuries are severe, or even fatal or the case is complicated.

1. Typically, the worse someone is hurt, the more they need a lawyer. The worse their injuries, the higher their medical bills and pain and suffering, equals likely resistance from the person who caused the injury or their insurance company. The insurance industry’s profit model is based in part on paying as little as possible on injury claims; the less they pay on claims, the more they keep in their pockets. When facing high damages, even the most honest of defendants and insurers may resist paying full compensation to the victims.
2. There are some cases where, although the injuries are severe and the damages are high, there is some complication or case problem that makes the matter unclear. This could be something like preexisting injuries or a witness with a different version of facts. If there is any wrinkle that the defense can cling to and argue, expect them to do so.
3. And finally, there are some defendants and insurers that, regardless of the details, will fight tooth and nail against paying every single claim. They are difficult to deal with every step of the way.

If you or a loved one finds yourself confronting one of the above situations, you should strongly consider talking to a personal injury lawyer. Without help, injury victims can get absolutely railroaded by the people who wronged them. Serious injuries and deaths can derail a person’s life and the lives of their family. If you are in the hospital, if you are in pain all the time, if you can’t work, if you are charged massive medical bills for treatment–these can all change your life for the worse and have ripple effects for years to come. If your injury was not your fault then that’s just not right, and I want to help.

A good personal injury lawyer can present your case in its best, strongest light to the person or entity that hurt you and demand they pay your medical bills, lost income, and damages for your pain and suffering. If they refuse, the lawyer can file a lawsuit against them on your behalf and prove your case in Court. There are many details throughout this process they will take care of for you, and the lawyer will front the case expenses until the case settles or is tried to a judge or jury. The victim should be focused on getting better–not the legal details of their case.

Even when it seems clear they have an injury case, some folks are hesitant to pursue it. Sometimes, a victim’s background and beliefs may put them at odds with their own case. I’m from Odessa, Texas and I practice in Mobile, Alabama–these are conservative cities in Red states, so I’ve heard all of these sayings:

1. We’re just not lawsuit people; there are too many lawsuits
2. They’re just going after money but what will that do?
3. Isn’t this what insurance is for?

1. I have to do something about this
2. I can’t work, I need money to support my family
3. It’s not fair that someone can hurt people and just get away with it
4. I’m not in it for money, I just want some kind of justice