5 Reasons Why You Should NOT Represent Yourself In an Accident Claim
In a personal injury case, you certainly have the right to represent yourself, and this is known as proceeding pro se. Of course, representing yourself can seem like a very attractive option, as you would eliminate any attorney fees. However, by doing this you run the risk of significantly reducing the compensation you receive from your case. Without an experienced attorney handling your case and fighting for your rights, it is very unlikely that you will get the full monetary compensation that you deserve, regardless of how strong your case is.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Handle Your Own Personal Injury Case
Here are 4 reasons why you should not handle your own personal injury case:
- You don’t know what evidence you need to fully prove your case. The type of evidence you need to fully prove your case may vary depending on the type of accident you were in. In some cases, simply producing documents that show you were hurt may not be enough to prove the other person caused the accident.
- You may miss a deadline. If you fail to file your claim within the statute of limitations, which is generally two years from the time of the accident, you may be forever barred from seeking compensation. However, there are many exceptions to this statute. For example, if you are filing a claim for getting injured on a broken sidewalk that belongs to a government entity, you only have six months to file your government claim. An experienced attorney will be able to guide you through this and take care of meeting all of the relevant deadlines.
- You don’t know how to calculate the damages to your benefit. In order to seek full compensation, you need to understand the types of damages you are entitled to and what dollar amount would be reasonable to assign to each type of damage. An accident attorney who specifically handles these types of cases would have the necessary knowledge and experience to demand the correct amount of compensation for your case.
- Negotiating a fair settlement takes experience and practice. The majority of personal injury cases are settled before going to trial in court. However, in order to do this without settling for a fraction of the value of the case, it is important to know the tricks of the trade and the risks you may take for continuing with litigation. Some important factors you will need to know is:
- The likelihood of winning at trial
- The value of past settlements in similar types of cases
- The defendant’s insurance policy limits
Consult with an Experienced Los Angeles Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. For more information or to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Los Angeles accident attorney, call the Law Offices of Vahdat & Aboudi today at 1-800-BUT-4-LAW.