What an accident victim must know.

You don’t absolutely have to get a lawyer for personal injury. If the injury is worth $3000 or less (in the state of Michigan at least), you could go to small claims court. Or you could ask for money directly from the defendant and/or their insurance company (also considered “filing a claim”). You might want to consider this if your case is relatively straightforward and you have documentation. These approaches can save you a significant amount of money. But, if you are facing a particularly serious or complicated injury claim, you definitely need the advice and expertise of a personal injury lawyer for Michigan, i.e. who is familiar with the case law in this state.

You shouldn’t pick just any lawyer for help. You want someone who has experience representing people in personal injury claims. So what should you expect?

What to expect
A good person injury attorney brings with him or her many skills and a depth of knowledge to the table. A good personal injury lawyer

• has dealt with hundreds, if not thousands of personal injury cases and knows how the ‘game’ is played.
• has experience in gathering evidence and negotiating with insurance companies.
• will advise you on how much you can expect to get for your settlement (you probably have no idea, do you?). Knowing what your case is worth is essential to negotiating.
• will do all the legwork involved in gathering evidence for your case (obtaining police records, doctor’s notes, medical records, etc.) You’ll have to sign releases to allow your lawyer to obtain this kind of information, but that should be the extent of your involvement in gathering evidence.
• will also negotiate with any insurance company that is involved. As you probably know, negotiating or even communicating with insurance companies can be involved and tricky. Those that don’t know how to play this game can eaten alive by the insurance adjuster. His or her job is to actually try to get you to take the lowest settlement possible. Your lawyer should have experience negotiating with them and is not be intimidated by the adjuster.

It may take you time to find a personal injury lawyer in Michigan, but ask lots of questions and pick someone who you feel will work for you.