Do I Need a Lawyer to Settle My Case?

(music) Hi, my name is Don Briggs and I'm a personal injury trial lawyer here in the state of Maine. Today's frequently asked question is, "Do I need a lawyer to settle my case?" The answer to that question is not always. If you have a case where you have minor injuries, you only went to the doctor once or twice, you only missed a day or so out of work, and you got better within a couple of weeks, then you probably don't need a lawyer. You can probably settle that by yourself and save the attorney's fee. But if you have anything other than that, you really do need an attorney and here's why: If you have pre-existing conditions, if you have a long course of treatment, if there's any complications or questions in your treatment, you're going to need a lawyer. If there's a problem with liability, or if there's a problem with insurance coverage, you're probably going to need a lawyer. The other reason is lawyers know the value of your claim. Insurance companies have studied this and their studies and independent research groups have found that if you have a lawyer, you get 4 to 12 times more compensation than you would otherwise get trying to settle this all by yourself. My name is Don Briggs and I'm here to answer your questions. (music)