One of the most common questions I get as a Seattle car accident attorney is whether or not a certain case requires my services, or if it can be handled without a lawyer. This is an incredibly important question for anyone involved in a Washington auto accident, as you don’t want to spend money on representation if that won’t lead to you getting more for your claim. The fact of the matter is that not every injury or Seattle car accident case will require the services of an attorney. There are a lot of lawyers out there that don’t want you to know that, because small claims are easy enough to be handled by anybody, and are quick money for a lawyer that takes them. When injuries and property damage are minor, it is possible that the cost of hiring a lawyer will lower the final amount that you actually receive.

With this in mind, though, if you are considering hiring an attorney, chances are that you will actually need one. In most cases, it will serve you better to be represented by someone who understands the law and has experience fighting insurance companies. Studies have shown that an attorney’s representation will likely bring you a lot more money. The Insurance Research Council has found that those who hire an attorney get an average of 3½ times more in their settlement. The reason for this is that Insurance Companies are in the business of lowering or denying claims. They know all the strategies to make this happen, and can take advantage of car accident victims who do not have an attorney on their side. Personal injury attorneys focus the vast majority of their professional career on fighting insurance companies in auto accidents, so the playing field is leveled when you hire one. Fighting a small claim is simple and straightforward enough for most people, however, when the claim is bigger; there are a lot more variables to deal with. Fighting this on your own can be a very difficult and time consuming process that is virtually impossible without a legal education. There can be enough discrepancy in the opinion on your claim that it goes all the way to court, in which case it is imperative that you have a lawyer to fight your case.

The biggest concern in most people’s mind is the common practice where personal injury attorneys take 1/3 of the final settlement as the attorney’s fee. Despite this, though, the overwhelming majority of cases show that you by hiring a lawyer, you will in turn get so much more money out of your case that it will easily make up for it. If you are unsure about whether or not the process is worth it for you, call up an experienced personal injury lawyer and ask for a free consultation. Because personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, it is in their best interest to only take cases that will pay out, so a trustworthy attorney will lead you in the right direction.

For more information watch the video bySeattle Personal Injury Lawyer, Jason Epstein, as he talks about whether or not a lawyer is right for your case.

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