Hobbsr: Top 3 Myths About Personal Injury Lawsuits

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Top 3 Myths About Personal Injury Lawsuits

Injury cases are often highly controversial. For example, people often disagree strongly about whether legal remedies are required to compensate for an injury, or whether the person received a fair or excessive amount.

In this context, there are numerous myths surrounding personal injury lawsuits. Here are the top three:

Myth 1: Large Jury Verdicts Are Not Deserved

Perhaps one of the most commonly believed myths about personal injury cases is that large jury verdicts or large settlements are not deserved by the injured victims. People often cite the famous McDonald’s coffee case, where a 79-year-old woman received nearly three-quarters of a million dollars after she was severely burned by spilt McDonald’s coffee. When the public initially heard about the result in this case, people were up in arms about the high verdict amount. However, not many people bothered to discover why the verdict was so high. The plaintiff in the case had third degree burns across her pelvic area, including her inner thighs, buttocks, and genitals.

Usually, if there is a large settlement or jury award, it was caused by a large, horrific, or life changing injury.

Myth 2: Slip and Fall Accidents Aren’t Winnable

The idea that slip and fall accidents are not winnable is just flat out wrong. Plaintiffs win slip and fall case frequently. The law around premises liability is well established. Even if there was a wet floor sign, or other circumstances that make the case less than ideal, it may still be winnable.

Myth 3: Car Accident Cases Can Be Handled Without Insurance or Lawyers

Sure, you can handle a car accident injury case without involving insurance companies or lawyers, but why would you want to? If you caused the accident, and you can afford to settle outside of court, you can probably afford the insurance hike just as well.

If you were injured, not involving an attorney and insurance companies is the quickest way to leave money on the table. While an injury case may not be “about the money,” there are very real financial considerations that a injury victim needs to be aware of, such as health insurance companies wanting to be paid back.

Hiring an attorney usually does not cost an injured person anything until and unless the case settles or wins. A person or insurance company will not offer to pay you for something you didn’t request.

Related Resources: