Claimants that decide against retaining a lawyer never have to pay a legal fee. Still, that fact might not suggest the wisdom behind hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer in London.
Factors to consider, when claimant tempted to do without an attorney:
The nature and extent of the injury: It could make sense to dispense with an attorney, if none of those involved in the accident sustained a serious injury. Yet, that does not give claimants the freedom to decide on their own, about the serious nature of the identified injuries.
Could the insurance company question the allegations made about the other party? Has the insurance company already raised such questions? A yes answer to those questions would suggest the need for an attorney.
What is the statute of limitations for your state? That piece of information should be sought, if anyone appears to demonstrate the existence of slow-to-appear symptoms. Although, as mentioned earlier, a lawyer can request an extension of the statute, if an injury seems to have developed in the body of a minor.
What should be the claimant’s goal?
This should be the goal: obtaining a fair settlement. Claimants should not seek to secure a windfall. By the same token, claimants should not seek to create an act of revenge.
What about getting a fast settlement, would that be a good goal?
A fast settlement might not be a fair one. It could be far less than what the victim/claimant deserved. Insurance companies try to take advantage of the fact that many claimants are eager to get their money just as soon as possible.
Insurance companies hope that a claimant will not try to learn about all the ways that a given injury might affect the claimant’s lifestyle. The ability to obtain such knowledge could push a victim/claimant to seek a larger compensation.
Does that mean that it makes sense to draw out the negotiating process?
No, that is not a good tactic, especially if it is tried with an eye towards seeking revenge against the opposing party. It is not fair to all that are part of the negotiating process, if one person slows the process, in order to gain some measure of revenge.
When approached correctly, negotiations can move forward in a clean manner, free of any stalling. That is the goal of the legal system. Those that want to work within that system should learn how to go after a fair decision.
Mediators have learned how to encourage the gradual emergence of a fair decision. Mediators get each side to consider the problems and challenges that are facing those on the other side. That approach tends to make everyone happy with the final decision.