Why It’s Never Too Soon to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer in Durham

If you’ve been hurt in an accident or because your doctor ignored important symptoms, it may not be easy knowing what to do and when to do it. An good personal injury attorney will tell you that the most important thing you need to do is secure your health. Get a thorough exam even if you feel “fine” at the moment. Be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions.

At the same time, you need to consider securing the resources to cover the medical care you require. And that’s where a personal injury attorney can take on a lot of the work for you. People often hesitate to call an attorney for a variety of reasons. They’re not sure if they need one, either because their case might not be “good enough” or because they’ve already been offered money by the insurance company. Many people feel that they need to wait a while before addressing legal or financial matters.

But you don’t need to wait. It is a good idea to call a knowledgeable personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident, injury, or wrongful death in your family. An experienced personal injury lawyer can evaluate your case for free and provide valuable advice and assistance right from the start. Here are just a few reasons why it’s never too soon to call a personal injury lawyer in Durham.

You Can Get Advice You May Not Even Realize You Need

Accident cases can be worth millions of dollars, and insurance companies and corporate attorneys are very aware of this. They use a variety of tactics to avoid paying accident claims or to pay far less than the victim may be entitled to receive based on case precedent.

Personal injury attorneys are the arch-nemesis of insurance companies. We understand the tactics insurance companies employ, and when we have the opportunity to speak with accident victims, we can offer them guidance that helps them protect their legal rights and preserve their claims.

So, one of the key reasons to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident is to get advice about how to protect yourself. For instance, if an insurance adjuster or company representative says, “Hi, how are you?,” most people would be polite and say that they are “fine.” But if you say that, your answer can be taken as an indication that you’re not hurt after your accident. The insurance company could argue that you are not in pain or suffering emotional distress after your ordeal because you just said you were “fine.”

A personal injury attorney can advise you on all types of actions that can improve your ability to recover compensation after your injuries. You will generally need evidence to show how someone’s negligence or recklessness caused your injuries, and an attorney can help you gather and preserve valuable evidence when it is most readily available right after the accident. 

As time passes, it becomes increasingly difficult to gather persuasive evidence. It can be difficult to locate witnesses, and their memories won’t be as sharp. Footage from security cameras or traffic cameras that have useful information might be erased or recorded over unless you act quickly to preserve it. The scene of the accident will change—after time passes, you may not be able to capture photos of skid marks that can reveal what happened in a truck accident, for instance. An attorney can give you advice to enable you to take effective steps right after the injuries and to prevent you from making mistakes that could jeopardize your claim.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Act on Your Behalf

When you engage a personal injury attorney, your lawyer can not only give you advice, but they can also represent you. That means they can talk to investigators and insurance companies directly, answering their questions so that you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing. This can give you the time and energy needed to focus on healing.

Your attorney can work on collecting and preserving evidence to establish liability. We know what to look for and where to find it. Allowing us to help with this task is another way to simplify your life.

We Can Evaluate Your Claim and Assess Settlement Offers

Insurance companies may offer you money to settle your case right away and tell you that you don’t need to pay a lawyer. They will often say that you need to accept quickly, or the offer will be removed and you’ll get nothing.

The reason they’re pressuring you is that they want you to sign away your rights before you have time to find out how valuable your claim really is. Experienced personal injury attorneys know that the amounts you can receive for the intangible effects of your injuries, such as pain and suffering, can be worth a great deal of money based on court rulings from analogous cases. Additionally, we are equipped to estimate the costs associated with your future care needs. This enables us to establish a baseline value for your claim. That value can be compared with settlement offers so that you can determine whether the insurance company is offering a fair settlement that you would want to accept. The power to accept or deny a settlement remains with you, but your attorney can provide the information you need to make an informed decision.

Early Assistance Doesn’t Cost Extra

Most lawyers who handle personal injury claims work on a contingency fee basis. This means the legal fees are deducted from the amount you receive at the end of the case, and those fees are based on a percentage of your recovery. This gives your legal team an incentive to fight hard for you, as strong results increase both the fee rate and the amount you take home.

Since you aren’t paying hourly fees, you won’t have to pay extra if you begin working with an attorney immediately after your accident. You can enjoy the benefit of having your attorney talk to insurance companies right from the start at no additional charge. It makes sense to maximize the most of your legal fees by consulting with an attorney as early as possible in the claims process.

Start with a Free Consultation Today

At Martin & Jones, we have decades of experience helping people recover fair compensation after their injuries, and we know there is no such thing as a “stupid question.” We invite you to contact us for a free consultation where you can ask questions and get information to help you move forward after your injuries. To get started, just call us at 800-662-1234 or contact us online now.