Though you could represent yourself in a personal injury case, it’s highly advisable not to do so. You may think it’s easy and straightforward, but it can be pretty complex. There’s also a chance that the other side could win, even though you did nothing wrong (apart from representing yourself). The best thing you can do is to hire a personal injury attorney and the sooner the better. Here are a few things that a personal injury lawyer can do for you that you can’t.

1. Knowledge Of Knowing What To Prove

If you have been injured and you know you did not do anything wrong, you probably think that you will win the case, since you have all the information you need and that you’re also telling the truth. Not only is this not true, but just testifying and giving evidence might not be enough. Sometimes, you will need to find yourself an expert witness to help prove that the other party was being unreasonable and preposterous. Something else to think about is hearsay. Unless there is an exception to the hearsay rule, hearsay is normally inadmissible in court.

2. Fair Settlement Negotiation

Sometimes, a good personal injury lawyer can negotiate an out-of-court settlement, thereby sparing you the stress of a long wait, extra expenses and not knowing which way a verdict will go. As far as a settlement is concerned, certain things have to be looked into before starting any negotiation process with the other side. These considerations include your realistic chances of winning, any weaknesses in either side’s evidence and what have been the outcomes in similar cases. If you have a good and experienced lawyer, he or she can dissect this information with great care, understanding and speed. He or she can also deal with the other party and their lawyer, something that is virtually impossible to do with self-representation.

3. Meeting Deadlines

On your own, you will never know certain details about deadlines that could cost you the case. Things such as serving the other party or filing a case that is within the statute of limitations. If you do not file your case within the statute of limitations in your jurisdiction, the case can be dismissed. You will end up being devastated. Then there are certain documents that need to be prepared and submitted in a timely manner. If you don’t meet these deadlines, the courts will have no sympathy for you, even though you’re the innocent party who has been hurt.

4. State Or Federal Court?

Sometimes, a defendant will attempt to move the case from a state to a federal court. The reason for doing so is because a federal court is thought to be somewhat friendlier to a defendant. A good and experienced lawyer can not only stop this, but they will also be able to tell you if in your particular case it might be an advantage and benefit you if the defendant moves the court, shooting themselves in the foot in essence.

5. Dealing With The Other Attorney

If you represent yourself, remember, you’re going to be up against an experienced lawyer on your own. Think about this for a second. Do you honestly think you would stand a chance? They can end up making you look so bad that you will become the guilty party!

If money is an issue, remember that your lawyer gets paid only if you do. So go forward boldly and hire an experienced and respected personal injury lawyer with a good record and get what you rightfully deserve.