Are you involved in a car accident case and become the victim? Did you suffer vehicle damage, wounded your body, or both? You might want to take legal action if the other party is not guilty or does not pay the bills for the damage caused by the accident.
At that moment, you have two options, which are to represent yourself in the court or employ a skilled lawyer on your behalf. If you want to hire an experienced attorney for a car accident case, then make sure to click here.
Pros Of Self Representing Your Car Accident Case
Here are some reasons that support why you can represent yourself in a car accident case.
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No attorney fees
One primary reason many people prefer to self represent their case instead of hiring an experienced lawyer is because of attorney fees. In order to get the advocate to talk on your behalf, you have to spend a hefty sum of money. However, if you represent your accident case, you can avoid paying the lawyer’s expenses.
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You can detail the whole incident
Another benefit is that you can explain the car accident clearly. You can directly communicate with the judge and narrate the whole incident. For instance, you can tell about the way you were driving and from where the other party had come. As you can explain with details, it will be easy for the judge to understand what would have happened.
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You can go to court right away
Here is another advantage you get by representing yourself in a car accident case. For example, when you hire an injury lawyer, sometimes you might have to wait for a few days if the attorney is busy with other cases. In case if your lawsuit gets to trial, you may need to wait for about months or years to get the final verdict.
Cons Of Self Representing Your Car Accident Case
Compared to the benefits, there are many cons to representing yourself in a car accident case. We have listed the primary reasons why you should avoid self-representation and hire an attorney.
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You are not aware of what you have to prove
Based on the type of damage caused, sometimes it may not be enough to merely submit evidence proving that you were injured and presume that the person who caused your accident is accountable. You might also have to confirm that you were not careless while the other party who made the accident was negligent or irrational. When attempting to create a case for compensation, you have to consider the rules of proof.
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You are not familiar with the deadlines
Personal injury claims have to be submitted within the limitations. For instance, in California, you have to file the case within two years from the date of the accident or the discovery of the injury. But, there are plenty of exceptions to this rule. Even once you have filed the case, you will have to meet different deadlines in order to move the case forward.
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You do not understand the rules
It is relatively hard to win a car accident and personal injury case if you can not grasp the rules of civil procedure. In addition to that, you should know the rules of evidence and how to use these rules to your benefit. For instance, you might not be aware that if you sue a large company or an influential individual, they may attempt to transfer your case from state to federal court.
It might work as a disadvantage to you because it is believed that federal courts tend to favor the defendants and are less inclined to give hefty sums of money to the suer. You have to understand how to protest and avoid being removed.
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You are not aware of how to evaluate damages
It might be hard to receive complete and fair compensation if you do not know what types of damages you are authorized to and how much amount would be reasonable to allocate to each form of damage in your situation.
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Trouble with negotiating
The majority of accident cases resolve outside of court through talks with the other party who is at fault. Prior to successfully negotiating, you must have a thorough awareness of the below aspects:
- The possibilities of winning in the court
- The value of the defendant’s insurance coverage or financial assets
- Total settlement amounts in previous cases comparable to yours
What Things To Look At If You Want To Hire A Car Accident Lawyer
If you want an attorney to represent and talk on your behalf in court related to the car accident case, make sure to consider the below-listed factors while hiring a lawyer.
- Speak with your friends and family to finalize if they know any reputable lawyer. If you have a family attorney, you can simply get in touch with him or her.
- Have a look at the reputation of the lawyer and check if they handled any cases similar to yours.
- If you want, you can ask for their testimonials, and if the attorney is not willing to share them, there might be some issues.
- You can check the online reviews and ratings given to the lawyer to see if they are experienced.
- Pay attention to the fees of the attorney, and if possible, try to negotiate the pay structure.
Bottom Line
With this information, it is clear that there are pros and cons you need to deal with if you prefer to represent yourself in a car accident case. If you have knowledge about the legal laws, limitations, and how to negotiate, you might have winning chances. If you are new to legal things and do not have any prior knowledge related to court or ordinances, it is better to hire a skilled car accident lawyer.
