Is Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Really Worth the Money?

You have been injured through no fault of your own and are asking yourself, “Is it worth it to hire a personal injury attorney?”

And now you are reading the answer to this question on a personal injury attorney website. We know what you are thinking… Of course, he is going to say it’s worth hiring him!

Actually, attorney Matt Boulton has a different answer to this question: Maybe, maybe not.

There is a common misconception that personal injury attorneys will take any case that comes their way, even if they do not believe it has a strong chance of being won. Where does this stereotype come from? A couple of places.

First, some law firms may embrace the “ambulance chasing” label by accepting large volumes of cases, even if a person’s injuries are minor. And while there is nothing wrong or illegal about this, it does strengthen the myth that all attorneys operate in a similar manner.

Second, sources such as television and the insurance lobby also play a role in painting personal injury attorneys as less than admirable. Television does it for entertainment value. Insurance companies do it because they want the public to believe they have their best interests in mind, which is not always true.

It is no wonder accident victims might wonder where to turn for help with their injuries.

In reality, Matt and Boulton Law Group will decline more cases than they accept each year, meaning sometimes he tells a person, “I don’t think it’s in your best interest to hire me.”

So When is it Worth it to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?

Depending on factors such as your state’s laws, firms and attorneys will use different classifications with regard to cases they will (or can) accept as well as cases they believe do not require their help.

For the purposes of Boulton Law Group and Indiana’s state laws, below are reasons when Matt personally believes it is worth it to hire his firm and those times when he believes it is better for you if he did not handle the case.

Reasons It May Be Worth Worth Hiring Boulton Law Group

1. You have sustained an injury for which you are no more than 50% liable.

Indiana allows you to attempt to seek compensation for your injuries if you do not share the majority of liability for the incident. In the event that you share a percentage of fault, any case settlement or verdict will be reduced by your percent of the liability.

For example, if you are found to be 20% liable for the incident, and your total settlement is $20,000, it would initially be reduced to $16,000.

2. Your injury required medical treatment and follow-up care.

A claim is only as strong as its medical documentation.

If you sustained injuries that required the care of doctors or specialists, and you followed their instructions, Matt will be able to better help build a convincing case on your behalf.

3. You do not feel comfortable negotiating with the insurance company.

For many accident victims, this is their first time being involved in this type of experience and they may be uncertain about what they should or should not do, especially when it comes to interacting with the opposing insurance company.

Unless you have multiple years of experience handling a variety of personal injury claims with various insurance companies, it may be in your best interest to at least ask an experienced attorney for their opinion about your next steps.

4. You are unsure how to locate applicable insurance coverage.

Matt has handled a number of cases in which an injured person was told there was no insurance, or they were unsure how much coverage was available.

If you have any questions about how much coverage is available for purposes of compensation, you may wish to hire an attorney so that they can conduct a professional search and verify the amount on your behalf.

5. You were placed at fault but have evidence that you believe proves otherwise.

If the police report or insurance company places you at fault but you have questions about their ruling or have evidence that you believe proves otherwise, it may be worth hiring an attorney so that they can look at the case facts from your point of view and advocate on your behalf.

6. You received an offer from the insurance company that you feel is inadequate.

Insurance companies use complex software, mathematical algorithms, and a past history of similar claims to help them determine offer amounts on cases. In some instances, the amount they arrive at may be lower than you expected.

Because Matt’s goal is to secure the highest possible settlement or verdict on your behalf, he can advise you on whether or not he believes he can persuade the insurance company to increase their offer based on your individual case and not a series of numbers or unrelated past claims.

7. Hiring Boulton Law Group costs you nothing and we never receive more than you.

It is a fact that many personal injury law firms work on a contingent fee basis, meaning they receive nothing unless they win your case.

Such is the case for Boulton Law Group. Not only do our clients receive a Zero Fee Guarantee, but the firm also promises that it will never receive more than its clients in any case, even if it means we have to reduce our fees.

So when someone asks if it’s worth hiring a personal injury attorney, they may be wondering if the attorney can get them more money than they could obtain on their own, and if Matt believes he can do this, then it may be worth hiring him to represent you.

Reasons It May Not Be Worth Hiring Boulton Law Group

1. You were not injured in the accident or refused to seek medical treatment.

If you are not hurt, be thankful!

From our experience, there is no amount of money worth a personal injury. If you were involved in a very minor incident and did not sustain an injury, or you had a single visit for a check-up, Matt may advise you that his involvement is not necessary.

2. Evidence shows that you are at fault for the incident.

Again, depending on your state’s laws and circumstances, there are different rules regarding liability. If Matt reviews the facts of your case and believes he cannot overcome liability factors, he does not want to waste your time by pretending otherwise and may advise you to seek another opinion.

3. You are looking for a quick payout.

If you are only hiring an attorney because you believe it will result in a quick settlement or verdict, you may be surprised. While hiring an attorney can help to improve the merits of your claim and result in a larger amount of compensation, it is rarely “quick.”

To help ensure your case is successful, it will require a thoughtful strategy and professional negotiations, all of which will take more time than accepting an insurance company’s first offer.

4. You are unlikely to follow the attorney’s advice.

If you ignore or fail to follow your attorney’s advice, there is little even the most skilled of litigators can do to be of value to your case.

5. You are filing a false claim.

If you are thinking about filing a fraudulent claim, think again.

Not only is insurance fraud illegal, punishable by fines and possible imprisonment, but your attorney also will immediately excuse themselves from representing you should they suspect or learn that you have been untruthful with them.

6. You have unreasonable expectations.

As we mentioned above, there is no amount of money worth a personal injury claim, however, accident victims must also be realistic in their expectations. Examples of hundreds of thousands of dollar recoveries for minor injuries are sensationalized for news and rarely tell the whole story.

If based on his experience, Matt advises you on what he believes your case to be worth, and you disagree, he may recommend that you not hire him and/or seek another opinion.

7. You are only seeking help for a property damage claim.

If you are looking for an attorney to represent you for a property damage claim, you may want to reconsider.

Unlike “pain and suffering,” property claims will generally have a fixed value attached to them. If you were to hire an attorney for this, the legal fee would likely mean you will receive less than what your property is worth.

For this reason, an experienced attorney should have no problem providing general advice, but they will be unlikely to officially represent you if your only interest is a property damage claim.

Choose the Attorney that’s Right For You

No matter the circumstances of your case, one of the most important factors in choosing an attorney besides their experience and success rate, is whether or not you believe their style and approach to client service aligns with your expectations.

Because he believes exceptional client service plays a role in the outcome of every case, Matt designed the Boulton Law Group to be a firm for Hoosiers who appreciate personalized care and custom legal strategies. These values are what set the foundation for making sure you Get Treated Like Family.

If you were injured through no fault of your own and have questions about your next steps, Matt can provide you with free advice and his honest assessment of whether or not he believes you would benefit from hiring his firm.

To learn more about your options, you can send Matt your story by using the firm’s confidential contact form. Matt personally reviews every web contact received at the firm.