You do not necessarily need a lawyer after the injury, but the pros of hiring one outweigh the cons. Here is why.
The other party will not want to compensate you just because you got injured. Bear in mind that spinal cord injuries are serious—depending on the specifics of your cases, you may be entitled to thousands or even millions of dollars as compensation for your losses. Therefore, it is unlikely that the other party will want to settle without a fight. Instead, they will use every opportunity to avoid liability or at least share the burden with you, saving them a lot of money as a result.
When you pursue an SCI claim without an attorney, you will likely not have the legal resources to last you through the entirety of the case. A standard SCI case involves many different stages. You may need to travel long distances to interview witnesses, collect evidence, meet with experts from different fields, etc. The bottom line is that these cases are expensive to fund out of pocket. However, hiring an attorney means you do not have to worry about such expenses.
For example, at Morgan and Morgan, we provide our services on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay when you win. If we do not win, we will not charge you for our legal expenses.
Developing a spinal cord injury does not automatically mean you are entitled to compensation. Many different factors will come to play before you even stand a chance of obtaining compensation. For instance, if you were partly to blame for the accident, you may or may not be able to recover damages. Insurance companies know how these rules work and will always use them against you whenever the opportunity presents itself.
The things you do or even say after such an accident could influence the amount of compensation you may be entitled to. Others might jeopardize an entire claim. A seasoned attorney can help you understand everything you need to know after the accident, limiting the chances of making costly mistakes.
Lastly, remember that an attorney has your best interests at heart. The same cannot be said about the other party's insurance claims adjuster. They help the insurance company limit the amount they should pay you as compensation for your injuries.
On the other hand, an attorney's goal is to ensure you receive the compensation you need and deserve. For this reason, they will do everything not only to win but also to maximize your claim. This is because they will earn a small portion of the settlement if you win.