Why You Should Not Represent Yourself in a Motorcycle Accident Case
The rise of the internet and Google has made everyone an expert on everything.
With just a few strokes of your fingers, you can ask Google anything you want, and you'll be presented with a bounty of answers.
Need to know why your car is making a weird knocking noise? Google it. Then Google how to fix it.
Can't seem to get rid of your stuffy nose? Google some home remedies to knock it out.
With each passing year, people seem to think less and less of experts because we can just Google everything they know, right?
However, there are certain times and certain things where we should ditch Google and trust the expert.
When it's 1 AM and there's what appears to be a geyser in your front yard, are you going to hop on Google or call an Emergency plumber?
If you break your ankle and require surgery, are you going to put your bones back into place, or are you going to let a surgeon do it?
And, when you're involved in a motorcycle accident, are you going to study the law, or will you hire an attorney.
Admittedly, representing yourself in court is a little more tempting than performing ankle surgery on yourself.
However, Personal injury Law is a highly complex area of the law.
It is not something that you can Google on a Saturday and be an expert on by Sunday.
It takes a high degree of education and training to understand the inner workings of the law.
If you have recently been involved in a motorcycle accident in Georgia, and you are considering representing yourself, here are some reasons why you definitely should not. You definitely need to hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer.
You Don't Know How To Collect Evidence
The evidence you need to prove your case depends on how your accident occurred.
Was it at night? Were there witnesses? Are there security cameras nearby? These are just two of the many questions that need to be answered when collecting evidence.
In many cases, simply producing documents that show you were hurt is not going to be enough to prove that the other driver was negligent.
It takes a lot more than that.
You Could Easily Miss A Deadline
All personal injury claims have to be filed within the statute of limitations, which vary from state to state.
Seems simple, but there are a lot of exceptions to this depending on your accident.
You might think you're well within the statute of limitations, but because of how or where or why your accident occurred, you could have missed it.
There will also be many more deadlines to meet even after filing in order for your case to progress.
Knowing and meeting all of these deadlines should be left to the experts.
You Don't Have The Knowledge
The law is complicated. That can't be stressed enough.
Even the most seasoned attorneys will come across things they aren't sure of.
Navigating a courtroom and the procedures is daunting, even for the most open and shut cases.
Just because you're able to represent yourself doesn't mean you should, and it definitely doesn't mean you will do it well.
There are things in life that you shouldn't try to do on your own.
It takes years of formal education to learn the law, and the best lawyers never stop learning.
If you want a favorable outcome for your motorcycle personal injury case, you need an experienced lawyer to advocate for you in court.
Check out a related blog: What is the number one cause of motorcycle accidents
You Don't Have A Team Behind You
Most personal injury law firms have an experienced team of investigators at their disposal.
They are prepared to dive into the most innocuous details of your case that could have a significant impact.
The lawyers representing the defendant will be prepared to do so as well.
When you try to represent yourself, you're putting yourself at an immediate disadvantage.
There is strength in numbers no matter how smart you may be.
You Don't Know How To Calculate Damages
When you go into the courtroom and present your damages to the court, you don't want to sound like Dr. Evil and give them a ridiculous number.
To ask for what you deserve, you need to understand the damages you're entitled to and a reasonable dollar amount to assign to the damages.
And that calculator you found on Google isn't nearly as reliable as an experienced lawyer is going to be.
A personal injury attorney who deals with these types of cases on a daily basis will be sure you get every dollar you deserve.
Negotiating Takes Practice And Experience
More often than not, personal injury cases are settled out of court in negotiations with the at-fault party and their insurance provider.
To negotiate properly, you're going to have to do a lot more than a quick Google search to prepare yourself. Negotiating is an art form.
Before you have a chance at negotiating successfully, you need a firm understanding of several factors, including:
Your odds of winning if you go to trial
The value of past settlements similar to yours
The amount of insurance coverage or monetary assets the defendant has
Leave It To The Experts
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
Sure, you can try to negotiate with the insurance companies.
And sure, you can represent yourself in court.
You could also cut your own hair and self diagnose diseases with WebMD, but we wouldn't recommend doing that either.
Lawyers have years of formal education, and even after they graduate they are continuously learning every day that they're on the job.
There's no way you can equip yourself to go against a team of lawyers that have decades of experience among them.
If you've recently been injured in a motorcycle accident in Georgia, you need to contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer right away.
The attorneys at The Brown Firm have years of education and experience among them, and they will be happy to help you with your case.