It’s safe to say that you probably can’t predict when you’ll be injured in an accident, but when the unexpected occurs, knowing what steps to take to get on the road to recovery can be terribly confusing. As such, having an experienced attorney in your corner to advocate for your best interests can take away a lot of the stress that comes with pursuing compensation for your damages. So, what’s stopping you from hiring a lawyer?
A lot of times, injury victims are reluctant to seek legal help from an attorney because they believe they can’t afford it. While it’s true that some law firms charge hundreds of dollars in legal fees per hour, most personal injury lawyers offer legal representation on a contingency fee basis – including the highly skilled attorneys from the legal team at Vaughan & Vaughan.
How does a contingency fee work?
In a contingency fee agreement, you only pay for your attorney’s services if the lawyer secures compensation on your behalf. If you win your case, your lawyer will receive a fixed percentage of the financial award. If you lose, you don’t have to pay anything. At face value, a contingency fee means exactly what it sounds like: your attorney’s fee is contingent upon the outcome of your case. This type of arrangement is particularly appealing to injury victims since there’s little financial risk involved with potentially much to gain.
How do I know if I have a viable case?
The easiest way to figure out if you have recourse to pursue compensation from another party is to get a free case evaluation. During your free consultation, you can learn your legal rights and options before you decide what to do next. Broadly speaking, a personal injury claim should include the following elements:
- You were owed a duty of care
- That duty of care was breached as a result of negligence and you were injured
- You suffered damages, that is, financial losses as a direct result of your injury
Keep in mind that the burden of proof is on you and your attorney. To have a successful case, you’ll need to demonstrate that your claim has a greater than 50% chance of being true. In civil cases, this is known as a “preponderance of the evidence.”
Contact our Indiana attorneys if you’ve been injured
When you have an experienced attorney in your corner, it makes it tough for insurance adjusters to control the outcome of your case. Make no mistake about it, the insurance company has a financial interest in paying you as little as possible and you can bet that they will do everything in their power to do exactly that.
At Vaughan & Vaughan, we know how to handle the insurance company and fight for maximum compensation. We’ve been serving clients throughout Indiana since 1913 and would be honored to speak with you about your potential legal case. If you’ve been injured, contact us online or call 765-234-5011 to schedule your free case evaluation.
