Guest ContributorHr Library

3 Biggest Myths and Misconceptions About Personal Injury Cases

By | Toma Bonev

Personal injury cases are among the most common legal cases in this country, but they remain largely misunderstood. Most people don’t expect to be involved in this kind of case, and often only start to learn about them when they’re a victim.

This is why there are still so many pervasive myths and misconceptions floating around about personal injury law. However, you can’t allow these myths to blur your judgment or give you false expectations. Being well-informed will allow you to know what to expect, and how to position yourself to get the best outcome possible. Here are some of the most common myths and misconceptions about personal injury cases.

You’ve Just Hit the Lotto

One of the most dangerous myths about personal injury cases is thinking that you’re about to be set for life. In reality, only a few cases end up in the upper thousands or millions, and these tend to be very serious. We’re talking about lifelong injuries and impairment here.

How much you get has nothing to do with the entity you’re suing. It has to be demonstrated that you’ve suffered real damage. Damages can be hospital costs and lost wages, but they can also be emotional distress or an inability to earn in the future. If the injury was relatively minor and doesn’t affect your ability to enjoy yourself or earn money in the future, don’t expect to hit the jackpot.

Going to Court is Always the Best Option

Going to court is not always the best option. Some people will absolutely want their lawyer to go all the way with their case, but it’s not always the best idea. There are some cases where settling makes more sense. Going to court means that you have to spend more on your case, and your lawyer will want a bigger cut. Some new pieces of evidence might even be discovered, or you could make some crucial mistakes that invalidate your claim.

This is why you need to be prepared in the case that you do have to defend your case in court. You have to know what to anticipate during your court case and some of the mistakes you should avoid.

A Lawyer with Big Settlements Has to Be Good

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when picking a lawyer is assuming that big settlements are a sign of competence. In reality, they might only have a few of these and do poorly with regular cases. Or they may be the type of lawyer that only cares about major clients.

This could be very bad news if you have a smaller case. For one, they might try to expedite the process as much as possible so they can get you out of the way. You may become almost a nuisance to them, and don’t expect their top lawyers to handle most of the work. They might kick it down to assistants and junior lawyers who are not as qualified.

Instead, try to go for a firm that cares about all its clients. Look at both their settlements and court records. You want to go with a team that has a good history of defending the clients in court, even for smaller settlements.

Personal injury cases can get very complex, so you need to know how they work before getting started. This could make a big difference in how much you end up getting, and it will also get you mentally prepared for the process.

Show More

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button