Find out if hiring an attorney is right for you.
Deciding to hire an attorney is a lot like deciding to hire someone to do work on your home. Anyone can handle their own personal injury case just like anyone can handle their own household projects. You may enjoy weeding your own garden because it is easy to do, but you may prefer to pay someone to do it so you can enjoy your Saturday out on your bike. But, if you need to re-build the foundation of your Victorian mansion, you probably need to hire an expert. The decision on hiring a lawyer will hinge on the complexity of the case and the time commitment in handling it. If you are seriously injured, hiring an attorney will allow you to focus on your recovery and maximize your settlement.
Unless you have handled injury cases regularly, it is hard to know what you do not know. An attorney can help with your peace of mind because when your case wraps up there will be no loose ends. The driver’s insurance company may undervalue your claim and your health insurance company may seek contribution for medical costs out of your settlement. Hiring an attorney helps make sure that you get a settlement that is fair and final.
How much is my claim worth?
As lawyers love to give indefinite answer: it depends. Every claim is unique and even the same injury may impact people differently. A broken pinky is painful and inconvenient to an office worker, but potentially career ending to concert pianist. Be wary of any law firms publishing their settlement numbers, because you’re never getting the full story. A pilot who sustains a shoulder injury may lose a full year’s salary before they’re allowed to fly a plane again, leading to a high settlement number. That doesn’t mean that the same injury will be worth that same amount for a person who only missed two weeks of work, or who was retired. Attorney consultations are always free with Paceline Law Bicycle Injury Lawyer. Reach out to a bike lawyer if you want to get a better sense of the valuation on your individual claim.
What if I am not injured, but my bike is destroyed?
If you were not injured in the collision, but your bike was damaged, then you may not need to hire a lawyer. Physical items, like a bike, have a fixed cost. Body parts do not. If you purchased your bike last month and it is totaled in an accident, then the insurance company of the at-fault driver will pay for the full value. Paceline Law Bicycle Injury Lawyer does not take any legal fee on property damage claims and is always willing to help cyclists to make sure they’re getting treated fairly.
