Myth #1: Filing a lawsuit can be used as a way to get rich quick.
The act of filing a lawsuit should not be seen as a means for getting rich in a hurry. Most cases get settled after negotiations, and do not provide the victim with a huge award.
Myth #2: You do not need a lawyer if you have purchased an insurance policy.
The insurer hopes to pay the minimum amount possible. By hiring a lawyer, an accident victim finds it easier to obtain more than the minimum. A lawyer’s warning can keep a victim from falling into the “trap” set by the insurer. Insurers like for victims to provide them with a statement, especially one that has been made soon after the accident and before the entrance of an attorney.
A word or two in such a statement might become grounds for denial of a given benefit. Then the victim denied a desired benefit would have to consider pursuing an appeal. When necessary, an attorney can help with putting together an appeal. In addition, an attorney’s assistance proves useful, when a client/victim has trouble keeping track of all the deadlines.
Myth #3: An insurance settlement will cover all of your expenses.
Only medical expenses get covered by an insurance settlement, one that has not involved negotiations with a lawyer. Even then, some expense might remain uncovered, unless the insurance company has been given a full report. Understand, too, that such a full report cannot include information that could become grounds for seeking a larger award.
For example, an attorney might seek such an award, after consulting with a medical expert. That expert might have pointed to indications that the victim’s medical condition appears to foretell development of more serious problems in the future.
Myth # 4: Anyone that has chosen to hire a lawyer has agreed to a frivolous and unnecessary expense.
The money saved by not hiring a lawyer could well be lost, if an accident victim encounters unforeseen problems. A lawyer may have handled a similar case at some time in the past, and might be familiar with the reasons for demanding more than the insurance company plans to offer. A lawyer might also advise against taking that original offer, if it seems that the insurance company fails to understand the full nature of the victim’s medical problems.
Myth #5: No accident victim can get compensated for more than physical injuries.
Backed by a personal injury lawyer’s in Mississauga support, a victim’s claim can demand compensation for psychological problems, emotional difficulties and post-traumatic stress. When victims have been employed at the time of the accident, an attorney’s assistance can prove useful, as they seek to be compensated for their time away from work. At times even a student can get compensated for the time that could not be used to attend classes, especially classes that had already been paid for.
