Do I Need a Lawyer?
If you are seriously injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident, or experience any other personal injury, you will likely have significant medical expenses to deal with. At the same time, you may be unable to work and in some cases unable to return to work, causing even more worry and concern about how your bills are going to get paid. If your injury was brought about by the negligence or wrongful conduct of another, that other party is responsible to compensate you for your legal damages, which includes present and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other costs.
The Insurance Company Is Not On Your Side. Your Lawyer Is.
Some people think that they may not need a lawyer, either because they are insured or the other party is insured, but it can be a big mistake to rely solely on the insurance companies without legal representation. It is true that the purpose of insurance is to compensate the insured for their losses, including liability insurance which should pay a third party who is injured by their insured due to a car accident, medical malpractice, or other injury. But insurers at the same time want to maximize their profits, and keeping claims and payouts low is one main way they do this. Insurance adjustors try to minimize every aspect of your claim and pay out as little as possible. They will even deny your claim altogether if they can, by claiming that the accident is not covered for any number of reasons. If you sue the other party, they may be defended by a team of insurance company lawyers who will use every available defense to escape liability, including trying to shift the blame on to you for causing the accident or aggravating your injuries.
A qualified personal injury lawyer can prevent all of that. An experienced attorney knows how much your case is worth, including placing a value on your pain and suffering and calculating future medical expenses, lost wages and other costs. Knowledge is power, and this knowledge allows your attorney to negotiate from a position of strength. Insurance companies almost never offer an unrepresented person a settlement which represents the true value of their claim, but when they are faced with a lawyer who knows what the case is worth and has a record of success in court, they are much more likely to negotiate a fair settlement. Having adequate legal representation ensures that your rights will be protected and that a qualified professional is looking out for your best interests every step of the way.
There Are No Upfront Costs to Retain Valuable Legal Representation
Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that there is never any fee unless and until we achieve a recovery on your behalf. Your initial consultation is free, and we advance all costs of any litigation. It never costs you a dime to speak to us or hire us, and you are never out of pocket any expenses while we are working on your case. If you or a loved one has suffered harm because of another’s negligent or intentional misconduct in Martinsburg or anywhere throughout West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, contact Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson for advice and representation from our dedicated team of attorneys.
