When you hire a personal injury lawyer for your case, you need and expect the best representation available. The experienced personal injury attorneys of Burger Law in Missouri and Illinois will fight for you and hold the negligent parties accountable for the harm they have caused you. With a history of helping Missouri and Illinois injury victims recover more than $170 million for their injury cases, you can be confident that we have the skill, knowledge and dedication needed to help you win your case and obtain a complete financial recovery. Call us now at (314) 500-HURT or send us a message here.
When do you need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
When you need a personal injury lawyer, it is important that you do your research and hire one that is best for you. But when is it necessary to hire a lawyer? Indeed, some car crashes and other negligence-related cases can be settled without hiring legal representation. Though it may surprise you to hear this from a personal injury law firm, some claims do not require a lawyer. We will not take on a case unless we are sure we can add value to it. If we feel that you can handle your case yourself, we are happy to let you know that our services are not needed. On the other hand, there are some situations in which hiring a lawyer is extremely critical. Search for a personal injury lawyer in St. Louis to hire right away if any of the following statements are true of your situation.
1. You were injured.
If you are severely injured in a car accident or another situation caused by another person’s negligence, you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you fully recover. Serious injuries make civil suits more complicated. Someone who doesn’t work on personal injury cases for a living will have a difficult time determining the dollar value of your injury-based damages. This is especially true when you consider complicated injuries and the long-term and possibly even permanent effects of your injuries. Consult an attorney even if you do not believe your injuries to be severe, since some injuries do not present until days after the accident and may be more serious than you realize.
2. The insurance company is acting in bad faith.
This happens far too often, and many people who try to settle their personal injury claims on their own are entirely screwed over by the insurance company. Insurance agents are motivated to pay as little as possible or avoid paying an injured person out altogether if they can help it. Unfortunately, many insurance companies have a proverbial playbook of tactics to avoid paying for damages or to trick innocent accident victims into signing away the compensation they are owed. You might even find that the insurance company simply ignores your claim in the hopes that you will become desperate enough to settle for a fraction of your damages or perhaps even give up entirely. They also often provide intentionally misleading information to give claimants the impression that they are ineligible for compensation. Whatever the insurance company tries, if they are giving you a hard time when you know you have a right to a recovery, call a personal injury lawyer in St. Louis right away and cease speaking with the insurance company. Your lawyer will handle communication with the insurance company.
3. Fault is in question.
Missouri and Illinois both go by a form of comparative negligence law. That means that each person is responsible for paying the percentage of total damages equal to the percent of fault they hold for the accident. This also means that if you have some fault but are not the majority at-fault party, you are entitled to recover damages. When multiple parties share fault or if different parties dispute who holds fault or how much fault each party holds, a personal injury claim can get complicated. You need a skilled personal injury lawyer who can argue your case, prove the correct party’s negligence, and negotiate a fair settlement for your damages.
4. You do not know the value of your damages.
In a personal injury case, there are both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are items like medical bills, lost wages and other concrete damages with objective dollar amounts. There is really no arguing that your $10,000 medical bill is worth $10,000. Non-economic damages are much more difficult to quantify, especially for someone who does not regularly work with personal injury claims. Do you know how to value your pain and suffering? You need a personal injury lawyer to provide an accurate sum of your damages and to be able to argue to obtain total compensation.
5. Your case is complicated in nature.
Even if none of the above are true of your case, you will still need the help of a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer if your case is inherently complex. You cannot be expected to navigate your case if it involves multiple parties, extenuating circumstances, government entities, commercial organizations, contract workers, defective products and other complicated factors in the world of civil suits. If you are unsure of whether your case requires a legal professional, take advantage of a free consultation with a personal injury law firm to find out what they recommend.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer St. Louis | Burger Law
After you or a loved one are injured by another person’s reckless or careless behavior, you probably have a personal injury claim. You can pursue compensation for your damages through a civil suit in Missouri or Illinois courts. To get the complete compensation you deserve after your accident, you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer. Get fearless representation and dedicated support along with the experience and knowledge needed to win your suit by hiring the personal injury lawyers of Burger Law in St. Louis. We will fight to get you complete compensation. Speak with one of our skilled personal injury lawyers today for free at (314) 500-HURT.