{"id":1028,"date":"2014-07-21T16:46:27","date_gmt":"2014-07-21T16:46:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boston-personalinjury-lawyer.com\/blog\/?p=1028"},"modified":"2014-07-21T16:46:27","modified_gmt":"2014-07-21T16:46:27","slug":"making-a-wise-investment-retaining-a-massachusetts-personal-injury-attorney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/boston-personalinjury-lawyer.com\/blog\/making-a-wise-investment-retaining-a-massachusetts-personal-injury-attorney\/","title":{"rendered":"Making A Wise Investment: Retaining a Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorney."},"content":{"rendered":"

Before choosing to represent yourself in a personal injury lawsuit<\/a> in Massachusetts, ask yourself three simple questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. From whom would you rather receive a hip replacement surgery?\n
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    1. the average person, or an<\/li>\n
    2. experienced surgeon<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    3. Who would you rather build your house?\n
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      1. an average person, or<\/li>\n
      2. a skilled contractor<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      3. Who would you choose to fly you from Boston to Orlando?\n
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        1. The average person, or<\/li>\n
        2. a licensed commercial pilot<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Your answer to each of the above questions should be \u201cb.\u201d\u00a0 If those were your answers, give yourself an \u201cA\u201d!<\/strong><\/p>\n

          The lesson to be learned from taking this quiz is: professionals are hired to do a job because they have received the training and experience to get the job done properly.\u00a0 It would be unwise, for example, to have a friend, untrained in the medical field, attempt to perform your hip replacement surgery.\u00a0 The same is true for having your house built or taking a 2000 mile flight.\u00a0 Trusting someone without the required skill set, education and experience would be ill-advised, to say the least.<\/p>\n

          So, what then, makes the legal profession any different?\u00a0 The simple answer is that, aside from the skill set required to be an effective lawyer, it isn\u2019t.\u00a0 Like a doctor, a builder or a pilot, a lawyer has received nuanced training in his\/her field, and knows how to skillfully navigate the many problems that may arise.\u00a0 Your lawyer should be a highly intelligent person who is specially equipped to deal with your legal needs, varied and complex as they may be.<\/strong><\/p>\n

          The skill set for a lawyer is also unique.\u00a0 He\/she must be able to think creatively, speak eloquently and write persuasively.\u00a0 Very few professions require the same degree of dedication and work ethic that arises in the legal field.\u00a0 In order to become a practicing attorney, a person must endure years of rigorous education and testing before becoming practice-ready. \u00a0An expert lawyer must also have tried many cases and settled many cases out of court.<\/strong><\/p>\n

          In spite of the years of preparation and experience that lawyers accrue, many people who are in need of their services choose other ways to satisfy their own legal needs.\u00a0 In personal injury claims, some people choose to represent themselves, rather than take advantage of the valuable resources at their disposal, namely an expert Massachusetts personal injury attorney<\/a>.\u00a0 The decision to pursue a legal action pro se<\/em>, namely without an attorney, is a person\u2019s right.\u00a0 This is an individual\u2019s choice, but it is a reckless one.\u00a0 It is like choosing to fly a commercial jet yourself, instead of hiring a licensed pilot\u2014the results can be disastrous.<\/p>\n

          Many people, in choosing to represent themselves, do not realize the serious consequences that could come as a result of their decision.\u00a0 Not only do attorneys know the law better than the average person, but they are acutely aware of the subtleties of pursuing a personal injury claim.\u00a0 To begin with, people mistakenly believe that the time it takes to settle a claim or reach a verdict at trial is very short.\u00a0 In truth, it could take years to reach the end of a personal injury lawsuit.\u00a0 Such a prolonged legal \u201cbattle\u201d requires endurance, experience and resources.\u00a0<\/strong> Needless to say, pro se<\/em> litigants rarely have any of these talents at their disposal.\u00a0 Personal injury lawyer specialists, on the other hand, are specifically equipped to handle such obstacles.<\/p>\n

          In many personal injury lawsuits, insurance companies become a key part of the settlement negotiation on behalf of the defendant.\u00a0 These are particularly difficult scenarios to successfully handle if you are unaided by a knowledgeable and confident attorney.\u00a0 Insurance companies, in most cases, are large corporations that are driven primarily by the profit motive.\u00a0 As a result, some insurance companies will try to pay the absolute bare minimum in settlements and other payments to injured persons, especially to pro se<\/em> litigants who are likely unaware of what their cases are actually worth.\u00a0 Those who choose not to retain a competent lawyer thereby run the risk of settling their cases for only a fraction of their actual worth.<\/strong><\/p>\n

          Sadly, in the worst personal injury cases, such as the wrongful death<\/a> of a family member, fair value of the case will usually far outweigh the meager settlement award made by an insurance company to an unrepresented claimant.<\/p>\n

          With an expert personal injury attorney, however, the intimidation factor is eliminated from the settlement equation. \u00a0Lawyers know how damages are calculated, and will fight tooth and nail to see that his\/her client receives every penny that they are entitled to.<\/p>\n

          In the end, the apprehension regarding hiring a lawyer may be a fear that paying him\/her will be extremely costly.\u00a0 But that is not the case.<\/strong>\u00a0 The truth is that the best attorneys generally work on a contingent fee basis.\u00a0 In other words, a lawyer is not paid for the work performed until the case reaches a positive result for his\/her client.\u00a0 Until a settlement is reached, or a damage award is issued by a civil court, the attorney receives nothing.\u00a0 This system is transparent, and allows for the greatest possible profit for personal injury plaintiffs.\u00a0 Lawyers typically receive a 1\/3 share of the settlement or damage award, which means that retaining a legal professional is actually cheaper than representing yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n