Do I Need an Attorney?

If your injury is significant, or your damage is substantial, or the question of who is at fault is unclear, you probably need an attorney to represent you.

If you choose, you can attempt to resolve the matter on your own. If you are dealing with an insurance company or a large corporation that is self-insured, they will have a claims adjuster representing its interest. It is the claims adjuster's job to try to resolve the claim for as little as possible. In order to achieve the best settlement on your own, you will need to send the insurance company documentation of your injuries in the form of medical records or reports, medical bills, loss of earnings and other expenses. If the insurance company refuses to settle the matter, you can always retain an attorney at that time to file a lawsuit. To learn what constitutes legally recognized damages go to What is my case worth? 

If a lawsuit needs to be filed, it must be filed within a certain period of time or the claim will be time barred. For related information go to Statute of Limitations: When Must I File My Claim or Lawsuit?

A person can file a lawsuit and represent himself without an attorney. When this happens the person represents himself "in pro per". Although the law allows an individual to represent himself, a non-lawyer can become easily lost in a maze of legal and procedural rules. For related information go to What Happens Before, During and After a Lawsuit is Filed?