If you’ve suffered a personal injury and you’re thinking about making a compensation claim, you might be tempted to represent yourself to reduce costs. Engaging a compensation lawyer can seem an intimidating option when you don’t understand the process or fees. However, self-representation could mean missing out.
Here are a few reasons why engaging a compensation lawyer can help you secure your financial future.
How a personal injury lawyer can help your compensation claim
1. They can tell you what you can claim
An experienced personal injury lawyer should be able to tell you whether you have legitimate grounds for a claim and if so, can generally tell you what you can claim for. In some cases, you might be able to claim more than your out of pocket expenses and loss of wages.
2. They can calculate a fair claim amount
Some claimants think that the personal injury damages schemes operate in a similar way to household insurance policies – that you just need to recover the cost of what you’ve lost and that the insurer will make a fair assessment. This is incorrect – insurers are unlikely to tell you what you’re entitled to.
We as compensation lawyers look at how your injury has, and may continue to impact your life. In some cases, we’ve been able to claim for pain and suffering, future loss of income-earning capacity, future out-of-pocket expenses and care and assistance both in the past and in the future. Our lawyers will be able to calculate a reasonable compensation amount so you don’t miss out on money you’re entitled to.
3. They can identify any complexities
A compensation lawyer should be able to identify any complexities regarding your claim, and help you identify and gather the evidence required to prove your case.
Self-representation has its place
It’s always worth your while speaking with an expert to better understand your options for a more informed course of action.
If you do choose to represent yourself, you can check out Legal Aid Queensland’s Online Personal Injuries Self-Help Kit as a guide for your claim. Obviously, this is for Queensland-based claimants only.
Take advantage of our free consultations
We offer a free initial consultation to better understand your situation before providing guidance. We recommend taking advantage of this offer to make sure you choose the best option for your claim.
At Gouldson Legal, we offer a no-win no-fee guarantee, which means if we don’t resolve your claim you don’t pay us anything. We also apply a 30% fee cap on settlements as part of our commitment to protect your interests.
If you have a claim you’d like discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.