When you have a situation that calls for filing a legal claim, it’s important to have the right representation in your case. Although you might think that going it alone in your lawsuit could be cheaper and easier, the opposite is often true.
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1- The Law is Complex
Even in simple cases, the law is complex. If you’re not an attorney, you shouldn’t go into a legal claim representing yourself. You might be able to explain your case, but you don’t have the expertise necessary to do certain things such as accepting a settlement. Attorneys have legal knowledge that helps in getting a deserving compensation. You can visit Wattel & York for more information. Often, if a settlement from an insurance company is involved in the case, the insurance company will try a common tactic of offering a lowball settlement. This is common when a person chooses to self-represent in their claim. Insurance companies don’t try that with lawyers.
2- They Know How to Challenge Evidence
Because of their specialized expertise and professional experience, lawyers know how to challenge the evidence in a case. This is true for all types of legal cases, including workers’ compensation, personal injury, criminal, and estate among others. No matter what the area of the law, evidence is required to prove a case. Attorneys also know how to bring in witnesses to testify on behalf of their clients to prove the evidence. They also have at their disposal investigative teams to come in and recreate the events that led to the incident if necessary. Lawyers also know the right expert witnesses to call in if the need for them arises.
3- Red Tape
There is a lot of red tape involved in legal cases. Lawsuits have several different stages that the average layperson is not familiar with, which means there’s a level of risk when you represent yourself with no legal background. While you might not know the proper procedures to take or follow certain deadlines to the letter, you don’t have that worry with a lawyer on your side. Your lawyer knows all the technicalities for filing all the right paperwork in time and where to go for certain procedures. Not having an attorney to handle all the red tape for you makes all the difference in terms of your case taking place or being thrown out.
4- Knowledge of Dealing with Other Attorneys
Another reason it’s well worth spending money on an attorney is that they have knowledge and experience when it comes to dealing with other lawyers. This is very important as you might not know how to discuss all the ins and outs of the case with an attorney if you were to represent yourself. If you don’t have a lawyer representing you in your case and the other party has one, it would put you at a disadvantage. You don’t have to worry about that when you have an attorney.
5- You Might Not Have to Pay if You Don’t Win
Depending on the type of case you have, you might not have to pay your attorney if you win. For example, in personal injury cases, attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that if your case is successful, you pay a percentage of your settlement to them. However, if you don’t win, you don’t have to pay anything at all. Additionally, many lawyers provide prospective clients with a free initial consultation.
These are some of the biggest reasons why having a lawyer in your case is well worth the money. It’s a far better investment as you improve the chances that your case ends up successful.
