7 Myths You Need to Know About Personal Injury Claims
You’ve probably heard several myths and misconceptions about personal injury claims and lawsuits. These myths and misconceptions can prevent people who have valid claims from filing when they actually should. If you’ve been seriously injured due to the negligence of someone else, you deserve to be compensated. Here are 7 myths you need to know about personal injury claims.
1. You don’t need to speak with a lawyer if you have minor injuries.
Even if you have minor injuries, you should at least speak with a lawyer about filing a claim. A personal injury attorney will help you through the process whether you’ve broken your arm or suffered a TBI. Plus, what may seem like a minor injury at first may add up over time. Even “minor” injuries can rack up expensive medical bills.
2. There’s plenty of time to file a personal injury claim.
You don’t have all the time in the world to file a claim. In all states, there is a statute of limitations on how long you have to file a claim. In Tennessee, you have 1 year from the date of the accident to file a claim.
3. Personal injury lawsuits take years to complete.
Although your attorney can’t give you an exact timeline of how long the process of filing a claim can take, it is extremely unlikely to take years. Some complicated cases can take a few years, but most of the time, personal injury cases are resolved in a reasonable amount of time.
4. I don’t need to hire a lawyer if I have insurance.
Insurance companies are in business to make a profit. They won’t cover all of your expenses, which is where hiring an attorney comes in. Personal injury lawyers negotiate with insurance companies every day, so they know how to get the most money to compensate you for your damages.
5. I can’t afford an attorney.
Another myth most people believe is that they can’t afford an attorney. This actually isn’t true at all! Most reliable attorneys will not charge you anything unless they win your case, which is known as a contingency fee.
6. Lawyer fees will take up most of the settlement money.
Similar to the last myth, many people believe that lawyer fees will take most of the settlement money you’re awarded. This simply isn’t true, as research consistently shows that people with lawyers tend to get significantly more money in their pocket even after paying the associated attorney’s fees, when compared to those who represent themselves.
7. I can use my tax/divorce/estate lawyer for a personal injury claim.
While these types of lawyers are experts in their field of law, they are not experts in personal injury law. A lawyer usually has a specific field of study that they work in every day, and you want someone who knows what they are doing working on your case. If you’re concerned about finding a reliable attorney, you can meet with several before you decide which one is the best fit for your case.
Now you know a little more about some of the myths surrounding personal injury claims, and you know the truth about them. If you’ve been thinking about meeting with an attorney about your accident, now you can feel more at ease after learning about the misconceptions of these cases. Set up a free case review with one of our personal injury lawyers today to discuss your case.
