You’ve seen movies about it and you may have even heard a few stories: The righteous individual who decides to take on the legal system alone, without the help of the attorney. It’s actually more common than you think. The biggest State court, California, reported sixty-seven percent of all cases litigated in this way. Florida reported seventy-three. Though less common at the Federal level, it still occurs almost a quarter of the time. Many personal injury claimants feel that they have been wronged, and justly so. Why should they have to share compensation for loss and suffering with an attorney?
A solicitor knows more about the law than you will ever know. This might sound conceited but the American legal system is mind-numbingly complex. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, learn everything you can about the law and then hire a solicitor. You will be shocked by how much you still have to learn. If doubts persist about the use of a personal injury attorney, find the kind that is open to you helping in the process.
If your case goes to trial-by-jury, you won’t know how to make the jury selection process favor you. Why? Because this is something that can’t be taught. It’s only possible to swing this process in your favor after years of trial and error. Much of it error.
You won’t withstand examination or cross-examination. This is the most complex part of a trial, whether a jury is present or not. Odds are the other side will field an attorney, especially in a personal injury case. They are masters of rigging up biased interviews and changing the meaning of your words. Your witnesses will have to be chosen carefully as well, or else their testimonies might be stricken or discounted.
You won’t know how to question the witnesses. You can’t ask a witness whatever you want. You have to be able to first prove the witness is relevant, and then you must “lead the witness” to support your conclusions in the appropriate manner. If you have not spent time practicing this in a live court room, you are very likely to ask improper questions, which can ruin your case and lower the amount of your settlement.
Learn more – Injury Solicitors