Personal injury law is particularly broad and encompassing. Thousands of people are injured every day and they need the help and legal representation of professional and experienced personal injury lawyers. However, as it is with everything, there are common myths and legends about the entire field. Below, you will find some of the most common ones.
You need to pay for a retainer
This is without a doubt one of the most damaging, so to speak, myths about personal injury lawyers. As people mistakenly believe that they have to pay for a retainer upfront, they tend to go about their cases without any legal representation. This is what insurance companies take advantage of and significantly cut off and reduce their settlements as clients are unable to determine the actual value of their claims.
Personal injury lawyers most commonly work on contingency fees or the popular so-called “no win no pay” basis. This means that the lawyer is going to charge you a predetermined percentage of the amount that he manages to recover – it’s as simple as that and you don’t pay a dime upfront.
The lawyer knows how much money the victim will receive
This is a particularly subjective and incredibly complicated thing to determine in advance. There is a tremendous amount of variables which are determining the value of your claim and it is absolutely impossible for a lawyer to predict it precisely. Experienced personal injury lawyers might give you a rough estimate but anything beyond that falls within the field of lies.
I have to go to court
Did you know that a total of 2% of personal injury cases in Ontario actually reach a verdict? That’s right – a total of 2% of all the cases actually go through the entire legal procedure in front of the court. The remaining 98% get settled far before that. This is something much more convenient when it comes to it.
I can sue whenever I want to
That’s absolutely wrong. You have a limited amount of time during which you have to take the necessary legal actions in order to be able to sue for your damages. Should you miss it, you will either be stripped of this right or you will lose quite a lot of grounds under your feet. Additionally, it is best to contact a lawyer as quickly as possible after the accident.
I don’t need a lawyer
That’s also something which is particularly untrue. You need a professional as well as experienced legal practitioner who is going to be there every step of the way. This is the only way you can rest assured that your rights are legally represented and protected in front of the court and in front of the insurance company. With many legal services available to assist you from filing the claim to helping you through the complete process, while working on contingency basis, you cannot do without a personal injury lawyer.