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Challenges for Representing Yourself in a Personal Injury Suit

After getting involved in a severe accident, it can be difficult to adjust to the new lifestyle where your movements are restricted and/or any related medical bills. You might even think about representing yourself when filing the claim to save some money; however, it is not a good idea. 

A personal injury claim can get complicated in a short time, and you need an experienced attorney to represent you. If you live or got injured in Chicago, you should contact experienced personal injury attorneys in Chicago to help you recover damages. If you choose to represent yourself, you may experience some challenges:

Low Compensation

Insurance companies do not want to pay any money, and they have insurance adjusters who are under instruction to pay nothing or offer the lowest amount possible. When you represent yourself, you can lose a high compensation because you do not have the skills to negotiate with the defence attorney. You can also present inadequate documents or fail to claim all damages, such as loss of future income and future medical bills.

Contributory Negligence

The defence attorneys also have strategies to win the case or reduce the compensation. The defence attorney might claim that you are partly to blame for the accident. They can even assign a very high percentage to your negligence, and you might not know how to deny that claim. 

If you agree to contributory negligence, your overall compensation will be low. With very little legal knowledge, the defense could even claim the accident was entirely your fault. 

Weak Legal Strategy

Personal injury claims are unique, and each case requires a strategy to win the best compensation. Without legal experience, you lack the knowledge to develop the best strategy to win the case. 

The defending party will have their strategies, and you need to know how to counter them. For example, if the defence offers you a certain amount and you accept it. You cannot claim additional compensation later, even if you learn that the amount you received was very low.

Settling Early

Most insurance companies will settle with the claimant to avoid additional costs, such as paying defence attorneys. The insurance company will offer you a settlement, and if you accept it, there is no way of claiming another compensation. Settling too early in the negotiations means you cannot claim for damages incurred in the future. For example, if the injuries require further treatment, you will have to pay the medical bills on your own. 

Poor Litigation Skills

If the insurance company declines to settle, you will have to file your case in court. The insurance company knows you do not have the knowledge, skills, and experience to litigate the court case. Also, you may not be familiar with certain court procedures, and it might end up costing you significant compensation. For example, personal injury lawsuits require experts, and if you do not know how to cross-examine an expert witness, you might lose your case.

Time-Consuming

Personal injury claims are time-consuming depending on the value of your claim. The medical bills have already exhausted your savings, and it may take you long to find the money to find your case. You might have to find a job in the time that you could have spent preparing your case. Hiring a personal injury attorney ensures that you do not have to worry about any of these challenges.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

There are so many other challenges that you might encounter while representing yourself in a personal injury claim. You need an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you. Insurance companies have many professionals with skills to ensure they pay the lowest amount possible; therefore, do not face them alone.