Do I need a lawyer to represent me on a personal injury claim?
Even an individual who is knowledgeable about insurance claims should seek the advice of an attorney. Many law firms, including Anderson & Hart, P.A., offer free initial consultations. You can only benefit by having an experienced attorney evaluate your claim, discuss what you can expect and outline the options available to you. If you are not familiar with insurance claims and have been seriously injured, hiring an attorney is probably necessary to prove your claim, value your damages and negotiate a settlement with the negligent party’s insurance company. Statistics show that an injured person represented by a lawyer is more likely to recover more in damages than an individual who represents him or herself.

If I hire a lawyer, do I need a lawyer whose practice involves more than personal injury law?
Many individuals injured as a result of someone’s negligence or recklessness also have disability and/or workers’ compensation claims. If the law firm you hire to represent you on a personal injury claim does not practice disability or workers’ compensation law, you may need to consult with and hire one or two additional law firms to handle these related claims. Hiring a law firm with the ability and experience to handle all of the potential claims, such as Anderson & Hart, P.A., allows the claims to be handled in a coordinated fashion. You must be careful in hiring multiple law firms that they are capable and willing to coordinate the handling of multiple related claims.

Don’t workers’ compensation laws protect me?
Most individuals injured on the job believe that workers’ compensation laws are intended to protect them from losses they suffer as a consequence of their work-related injuries. It is only after they are injured that they come to realize that workers’ compensation laws are designed to protect employers and insurance companies without regard to the actual losses an injured worker may experience. An injured worker cannot recover the full amount of his lost wages, cannot select his medical providers and cannot recover anything for the pain and suffering associated with being injured on the job.

Why would I hire a lawyer on my workers’ compensation claim?
It is virtually impossible for any individual without experience in the workers’ compensation legal arena to litigate a claim to recover lost wages or to obtain necessary medical care. Insurance companies have an injured worker who is not represented by a lawyer at a distinct disadvantage. Insurance companies know the law. Injured workers do not. Insurance companies know the values of claims. Injured workers do not. The advice of a lawyer experienced on a workers’ compensation claim can be invaluable in obtaining benefits and in achieving a fair settlement of the claim.

How do I pay a personal injury or workers’ compensation lawyer?
Most personal injuries law firms, including Anderson & Hart, P.A., represent individuals on personal injury and wrongful death claims on a contingency basis. This means the client is not charged a fee unless a recovery is made. Some law firms, again including Anderson & Hart, P.A., extend this contingency principle to litigation costs and expenses. The law firm bears the expense of litigation and trial costs unless a recovery is made.

Most workers’ compensation lawyers represent individuals on workers’ compensation claims in one of two ways. Some law firms, including Anderson & Hart, P.A., do not seek fees from their clients. These law firms look to the insurance company to pay any fees due based on what amounts to the insurance company’s bad faith denial of benefits. Other law firms seek their fees as a percentage of the benefits they obtain for the client. It is important to understand just how fees will be payable to the lawyer you consider hiring.