Top 5 Benefits of Hiring Competent Personal Injury Lawyers
When you get involved in an accident, the legal aspect is one of the most crucial matters you need to settle after getting clearance from the medical practitioner. According to the personal injury law firm FGPC, it doesn’t matter if you caused the injury or you’re the victim; you’ll need competent personal injury lawyers to protect your rights through the process.
Unlike criminal cases, a personal injury case is instituted by the aggrieved party on the grounds that the defendant caused harm or injury to the former. In that case, the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant failed to observe the degree of diligence required in the circumstance. The party alleging damage should also provide evidence that the opposing party was negligent. All these, if executed and presented correctly, could lead the party to gain a favorable verdict. Apart from these, here are the other benefits of hiring a reputable personal injury lawyer.
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1. Be confident in how you’re legally represented
Hiring a lawyer is one thing; finding a competent and able one is another. When you hire a reliable lawyer, you’ll be in good hands. In personal injury laws, you can claim six types of damages — moral, exemplary, nominal, temperate, actual, and liquidated. An excellent lawyer doesn’t only know what these damages are and how they differ from each other. They also know how to pick parts of your narrative to warrant the award of specific damage. They also know what kinds of evidence to present to support your claims.
If you’re the defendant, a seasoned lawyer can raise defenses on your behalf to keep you from being found guilty of injury and damages. If you choose to settle, your lawyer can formulate favorable terms while shooting down unconscionable and unjust claims from the other party. They will also ensure that your rights are being protected even if you’re a named defendant in the case.
2. Personal Injury Lawyers know how to prove or disprove negligence
When you’re the plaintiff in a civil case involving personal injury, your competent lawyer can help you build the case by proving that the defendant acted in wanton disregard of his obligation to observe the required diligence. For example, the defendant is the bus driver that figured in an accident that injured passengers and passers-by. If you’re one of the passengers or passers-by, you’ll need to prove that the defendant failed to observe extraordinary diligence while driving the bus.
How can a lawyer do this? They can assert that the bus driver failed to have the bus regularly checked before driving it in on the highway. They could also find pieces of evidence that would show that the collision could have been prevented if the driver had reasonable foresight. The lawyer can even extend the liability to include the bus operator.
On the other hand, the lawyer for the defendant can quash all these allegations by proving that the driver exercised extraordinary diligence. However, despite his earnest efforts, he was still not able to prevent the collision. The lawyer could also raise the doctrine of ‘in pari delicto’ to cancel out the negligence of both parties and pray for a lesser offense.
3. You’ll always have an ally and confidante
Regardless if you’re the plaintiff or defendant, having a reliable lawyer working with you makes you feel that you are never alone in your legal battle. You can be truthful to them and expect that they would still fight for your right. They’re bound by the lawyer-client relationship not to do or say anything that would compromise the latter. Their presence means that you won’t be blindsided by the acts and strategies of your opponent. Your lawyer can object to irregularities and even use that to have the case dismissed in your favor.
4. They gather and keep all evidence and all records of the case
There are pieces of evidence that may appear acceptable to a layperson but remain inadmissible in court. Your lawyer knows what evidence is valid and which is not, so they should gather these in your favor. They also know what affidavits and documents to draft and send to the court for the case to proceed according to the rules of civil procedure.
Apart from that, they are also familiar with the days it takes for one party to send an answer to the summons or replies to the answers. If the other party fails to observe these rules, your lawyer can raise objections and petition the court to hear and decide the case ‘ex-parte’ or based on the evidence presented by one party.
5. Exhaust your remedies and be given a day in court
One’s freedom ends when the right of another begins. This legal maxim reminds us that our freedom is not absolute — that we must abide by the rules and prevent harm. If we get hurt or we hurt another, we’re presumed innocent unless proven guilty. And this guilt, because it carries burdensome penalties, can only be final if litigated. This is why we’re given a day in court.
If you have a competent lawyer, you can be assured that you’ll exhaust all remedies available to you. Apart from that, you’ll surely be well-represented before the bench and the bar. At the end of the day, a competent lawyer helps you exercise your rights.
Takeaway
The law is hard, but it’s just. However, since the judge can only decide based on facts and evidence, you need to have a credible lawyer to ensure that the wheels of justice will roll in your favor. These competent legal counsels may cost you more, but they will surely use their expertise to secure a favorable verdict.
