Experiencing an accident can leave you with lasting physical injuries and mental traumas which can greatly reduce your quality of living. Being left with emotional or physical scars or ongoing pain can make it much harder for you to go about your day to day life. What is more, an accident like this can reduce your earning power if you are no longer able to complete the tasks which you are required to do as part of your job.
If your injuries were caused by an accident which was not your fault, then living with these injuries can be particularly distressing, especially if the cause of the accident was something which was preventable. If these circumstances apply to you, then you may need a personal injury lawyer.
What a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Do For You
Following an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, the lawyer will be able to establish whether you have a valid and viable claim for compensation or not. In order to be able to establish whether you have the basis for a claim, you will need to explain the exact circumstances of your accident to your lawyer and how the accident has affected your subsequent quality of life. You can also give them details of any out of pocket expenses which you have suffered as a result of your accident, including costs of care. All of these details will also help your lawyer to establish how much your claim should be worth.
Once they have agreed to take on your case and they have established the value of the claim, they will be able to get in contact 
with the defendant on your behalf, to alert them to the fact that you are planning on making a claim. This will give the defendant the chance to consider your claim and make a counteroffer if they wish. They will then begin negotiations if necessary. Because a personal injury lawyer has a good understanding of the ways in which accident claims laws work, they will be able to push for the maximum possible award.
Having a legal professional on your side will also help you to add weight to your claim. Although it is possible to make a claim for accident compensation without the assistance of a personal injury lawyer, by hiring a personal injury lawyer, you maximise your chances of making a successful claim.
Taking Your Claim to Court
Not all claims end up being contested in court, but if your claim does go to court, you will want the assistance of a personal injury lawyer, as they will have a proper understanding of the legal proceedings. Claims usually only proceed to court if the defendant is refusing to settle or offer a reasonable amount of compensation to the accident victim. On some occasions, personal injury lawyers will advise against taking the claim to court. If you proceed to court against their counsel, it may void any “no win, no fee” agreement which you have in place.