Myths surrounding personal injury cases often deal with the insurance company’s willingness to treat you fairly, how long you have to file your personal injury claim, and whether or not it’s worth hiring a personal injury attorney.
A Jacksonville personal injury lawyer can break down some of the myths about personal injury cases for you and provide the facts about your compensation claim. A lawyer can also provide you with professional legal representation and level the playing field when you have to deal with the insurance company.
Myth #1: The Insurance Company Wants to Treat You Fairly
Insurance companies often claim that they respect the best interests of injured individuals. However, these companies primarily focus on protecting their bottom lines by paying out as little as possible for personal injury claims.
In many cases, these companies will make a low initial offer, hoping that the injured party will just accept this deal because your insurance adjuster is a soulless automaton. Once you accept a settlement deal, you typically cannot request more compensation for your losses, protecting the company.
Fortunately, you do not have to determine if you’ve received a fair settlement offer on your own. Instead, you can turn to a personal injury law firm to assess the deal and determine if it fairly covers all of your losses.
Myth #2: The Insurance Company Only Makes One Offer
Insurance representatives often support the common myth that these companies only make a single offer and, if you don’t accept it, you’ll lose your chance to settle. They hope that the injured party will accept less than fair compensation out of anxiety in this situation.
Personal injury lawyers can often negotiate with the insurance company, countering initial lowball offers to help accident victims secure maximum compensation.
You can learn more about some of the myths about personal injury cases and the truth behind these common misconceptions with your attorney.
Myth #3: You Have Unlimited Time to File Your Claim
Many people believe they can begin the legal process whenever they want after an accident. However, each state has a time limit called the statute of limitations that controls how long you can wait to start your claim.
Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for most accident claims. If you wait too long to seek financial compensation from the at-fault party, the court will dismiss your request.
Fortunately, personal injury victims can get fast help from a law firm that understands these deadlines.
Attorneys Can Expedite the Legal Process
Many injury victims worry about how long the legal process takes to complete after an accident. Your attorney can minimize the time you have to wait to receive compensation by keeping your claim moving and quickly addressing all of your concerns.
You can learn more about the time frame to resolve a claim and some of the myths about personal injury cases by reaching out to a local law firm for help.
Myth #4: You Don’t Need a Lawyer if You Have Minor Injuries
Even a comparatively minor injury can result in incredibly high economic and non-economic losses. Therefore, you should get professional help securing compensation to cover your:
- Medical expenses
- Lost pay
- Pain that prevents you from enjoying your life
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
An attorney can find the negligent party and hold them accountable for your losses while you focus on your recovery. You can take legal action even if you do not have what you consider a catastrophic injury.
Myth #5: Only Frivolous People File Personal Injury Lawsuits
Big businesses and insurance companies have propagated a myth that only frivolous or greedy people file personal injury lawsuits. This myth may convince injury victims who have a valid claim and need compensation to cover their losses not to take legal action against the responsible party.
If someone else acted recklessly or negligently and caused an accident that left you with serious financial losses, you have a right to hold them accountable. You do not have to accept all the expenses, pain, and suffering they caused you.
Instead, you can turn to a lawyer for professional legal advice and the compassionate support that you need during this challenging time.
Myth #6: Personal Injury Lawyers Only Want to Make Money
Generally, personal injury lawyers want to help their clients throughout each step of the claims process, providing professional care, support, and advice. In fact, legal teams that handle personal injury claims work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only take payment for legal fees after resolving a client’s case.
Insurance companies and businesses try to push this pervasive myth because they do not want accident victims to get professional help from an experienced attorney.
Talk to Us About Your Personal Injury Claim
What are some of the myths about personal injury cases? These myths often focus on how the insurance company will treat you, the time you have to file your claim, and the motivations of personal injury lawyers.
Our attorneys at Fasig | Brooks can help you learn more about the facts surrounding your personal injury claim. We’ll put you first and assist you throughout the legal process. You can discuss your next steps by calling or completing our online contact form.
