If you have been the vicim of a slip or fall accident that wasn’t your fault, you should look to seek damages against the responsible party. This will help you to cover the costs of your injury or injuries, be it medical bills or lost work time. Many of you ask whether or not you have to use slip and fall lawyers accidents in order to bring forward such a case, which is what we are going to be discussing today.
Do You Have to Use a Lawyer?
The easy answer here is that you do not have to use a lawyer in order to bring such a case forward. In fact the American Bar Association have said that in the last 3 years, 60% of all cases of slips and trips saw the victim representing themselves. This is a much higher figure than many realize although quite why these people prefer to do things this way is unclear.
The Benefits of Being in The 40%
The research shows that whilst 60% may choose to represent themselves in this kind of case, the results of those who choose to use legal representation are in fact much better. Those using law firms find that they win more cases and that they also win more in terms of monetary value in damages. This is why it is really a no-brainer to use a slip and fall lawyer, because they are simply going to go deliver a much better result than those who are representing themselves.
Challenges of Self Representation
There are many challenges which come with self-representation, and this is were an attorney will thrive where most individuals do not. To begin with there is the gathering of evidence which can be tough to do and can be very laborious. In order to build the case the attorney needs to get as much evidence as possible such as witness statements, CCTV footage and any other supporting information which will help to prove guilt in this kind of situation. Another challenge which individuals are going to run into is dealing with insurance companies and their legal teams. In most cases these companies are looking to pay out as little as possible. In order to fight against the insurance companies you will need to know exactly what the claim is worth and what you are willing to accept. Slip and trip attorneys know their way around these negotiations very well indeed.
Ultimately you can represent yourself if you so wish, but the odds are not stacked in your favor if you do so. Even if you feel that you know your way around this branch of the law, it still may be worth looking for professional help. The last thing that any victim of a slip or trip wants to do is have to go over all the details of what happened, when it is isn’t completely necessary.
