Being injured in a car accident can instantly turn your world upside down. In addition to physically recovering from your injuries, you may also experience financial difficulties as a result of your inability to work. Consequently, it is very important that you are able to recover all of the damages that you are entitled to under the law. A personal injury lawyer can help you to accomplish this task. However, there are a few facts that you should know before hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you.

1. Sooner Is Always Better When Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer

There are two main reasons why you should always act quickly when hiring a personal injury lawyer. The first of these reasons is that there are legal time limits regarding how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. These time limits are referred to as a statute of limitations. 

The second reason that you should act quickly is that any statements you provide to the insurance company can potentially be used against you in an attempt to deny your claim or reduce the amount of compensation that you receive. By hiring a personal injury lawyer before making contact with the insurance company, you will be able to enjoy the legal protection that your attorney can provide. Rather than you speaking with the insurance company directly, all communication will go through your lawyer. 

2. Most Personal Injury Lawyers Work On A Contingency Basis

If you are concerned about your ability to pay for a personal injury lawyer or are worried about being left with large legal bills in the event you lose your case, you should know that most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. What this means is that your legal fees are deducted from your settlement rather than needing to pay these fees upfront. More importantly, this means that you are only responsible for paying legal fees if the lawyer is able to win your case.

3. Personal Injury And Property Damage Claims Are Handled Separately

After being involved in an auto accident, you will likely need to deal with issues of both personal injury and property damage. While both of these issues may have resulted from a single accident, each of these issues will be handled separately. The reason this is important for you to understand is that people often believe that they are unable to hire an attorney to represent them in their personal injury claim if they have already settled their property damage claim directly with the insurance company. This is not the case. Even if you have already accepted settlement for any damage that was done to your vehicle or other personal property, you still have the right to hire a personal injury attorney to represent you in your remaining claim.

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