WHY EVEN LAWYERS HIRE OTHER LAWYERS TO REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS IN LEGAL MATTERS

President Lincoln was also an attorney, and yet – he felt compelled to make that statement? Why? Speaking from the perspective of an attorney that has been practicing law for over 20 years, the answer to me is actually as much “psychological" as it is “practical". In fact, as much of my practice consists of representing attorneys and other professionals in criminal matters, civil litigation, bankruptcy proceedings, and sales of structured settlements, and annuities, I have had the “unique" opportunity to see first-hand – just how true that statement actually is!

To understand the answer to the question of whether a person SHOULD retain counsel, one need only look to the basic characteristics that all persons have in common, to wit, we are all “human". And as people, we all have emotions; emotions that can easily “cloud" even the most intelligent person’s thinking when a person’s OWN financial, emotional, or mental “security" is at stake!

Especially when one is being prosecuted for a crime, or if a person’s assets are in “jeopardy", the ability to “emotionally detach" oneself from a situation is often lost, and what would normally be rational and objective judgment are replaced by feelings of anger, worry, fear, and stress. And that is true for almost everyone, “professional" or not.

Next, when a “personally vested" emotional state is combined with all the complexities and nuances that every single legal matter involves, the answer becomes obvious: “He [and even a lawyer] who represents himself [TRULY] has a fool of a client!

WHY EVERY PERSON SHOULD ALWAYS HIRE A LAWYER IN ALMOST EVERY CASE

All professionals, including but not limited to attorneys, physicians, accountants, dentists, but also “specialists" of all areas - all have one key factor in common: Years of education and Training! Training and education that if used in an “objective" and “meaningful" way, can and often does make the difference between winning and losing, and in extreme cases – “financial" demise, and loss of “freedom and liberty".

Just as a person goes to a physician when they feel “pain", a person should also go see an attorney when they have “legal" issues. Also, as with a visit to a doctor, a person often learns that there is nothing wrong, or that any “pain" will pass without the need for further intervention or follow-up; and the same is true for a person that chooses to “consult" with an experienced attorney!

However, in the event that some further action is necessary, then the smartest decision a person can make is to allow an experienced trained professional to assist them in the resolution of the matter; especially when the entire “weight" of the legal system is brought into play.

5 KEY ISSUES THAT ARISE IN ALL PERSONAL INJURY CASES - FROM THE MOMENT THE INURY OCCURS:

Every personal injury matter, even one as seemingly simple as a car accident, or a dog bite claim, can often be both a very complicated and detailed matter, unless it is handled correctly. For example, and depending on the facts of the case, there are ALWAYS many factors (aside from the laws themselves) that come into play and can affect a claim – factors that an average person would simply never even consider.

The ISSUES include:

• How does a person go about “proving" who is “at-fault" in their case; and is there more than one “individual" responsible for the injury, such as an employer, or another third party that contributed to the “events" of the injury?

• What are the “nature and extent" of the damages; and are the damages ONLY physical in nature; or are there also “psychological" and “cognitive" components to the injuries. A common example is a dog bite case, where after the “bite", a person begins to fear dogs! Or in a sever car accident case, a person will drive miles out of the way to AVOID going back “to the scene" of the accident!

• Plus, what about the process of gathering the “necessary" evidence" required to prove the case? Does a person provide statements to insurance carriers (even their own)?

• Then, once ALL that is accomplished, what does a person do next to obtain the highest dollar value compensation for the injuries? Does a person seek to settle directly with an insurance company, or should they file a lawsuit?

• Next, comes what I like to refer to as the “TWISTS" in EVERY case! For example, what if the other person does not have insurance, or if the other party does NOT want to settle; or if the “offered" amount is too low; or, if the insurance company claims that YOU the “injured party" is somehow partially to “blame" for what happened?

WHAT HAPPENS IF A LAWSUIT IS NECESSARY - AND HOW TO BEST PROTECT YOUR CLAIM IF LITIGATION IS REQUIRED

In many cases, because of the issues and often the “twists", or even simply because the extent of the damages and the possible exposure of the insurance company, the filing of a lawsuit will be required! In fact, statistics show that if a case potentially involves a settlement in excess of $100,000.00; that litigation will more likely than not be required! Simply, because any case with that amount of exposure will cause ALL parties (including the insurance company) to exercise as much “due diligence" as possible to determine whether the claim has merit.

Plus, the best means of performing “due diligence" regarding any claim is through the process of litigation. Why? Because, the process of litigation allows for: (1) The “discovery" of all relevant documents; (2) The taking of “depositions" of parties and witnesses under penalty of perjury; (3) The filing of Court “Motions"; and MOST IMPORTANT, (4) The various legal “strategies" and legal “theories" that the opposing parties attorneys will use to best develop THEIR defense. ALL for the dual purposes of determining BOTH the “true value" of your case, as well as how to REDUCE the amount of exposure (i.e.: the amount of money) that the opposing side will need to pay you to end the litigation.

So, with everything that has already been outlined herein, which is truly only a “high light" reel of all the possible issues and pitfalls that the entire process of correctly handling a personal injury claim involves; it should be clear and also with no dis-respect intended - that President Lincoln was no “fool" when he so eloquently stated that: “He who represents himself has a fool for a client"!

WHAT EVERY PERSON INVOLVED IN A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM SHOULD DO - AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

• First and foremost, locate an experienced attorney as soon as possible;

• Make SURE that you confirm that you will ALSO be receiving a “free consultation" from the attorney that assesses your claim;

• RETAIN the attorney that you believe will best protect your interests - BECAUSE there is no "down-side" to YOU!

A. Because personal injury claims are generally handled on a “contingency basis"; the ONLY attorney fees charged will come from the FINAL settlement of the claim. Although, “costs" on occasion may be required (particularly if litigation is necessary); most experienced attorneys will ALSO ADVANCE those costs on your behalf at no interest as well.

B. Specifically, 4only when your case settles, or (if necessary) goes to a jury verdict, then and only then, will a “portion" of the settlement or jury award be paid to the attorney.