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Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Without a Lawyer?

A construction working sitting on the floor after a fall holding his ankle

There is a reason that Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day have become events of national significance: people love saving money. We take pride in paying less than we have to, whether it means finding online coupons or taking a do-it-yourself approach to small home repairs. This leads to some unfortunate scenarios where people take this attitude to the extreme and represent themselves in high stakes personal injury lawsuits.

The Stakes Are High

To answer the question posed in the title above: yes, you can file a personal injury lawsuit without a lawyer. But from what we’ve seen, it isn’t a good idea. Personal injury lawsuits have high financial stakes, as victims of negligence have the right to pursue various types of monetary damages against the responsible parties. Depending on the type of injury and the myriad physical, emotional, and financial impacts that have resulted, a victim may be entitled to significant compensation.

A personal injury attorney knows what a claim is worth based on the types of damages available and how these damages are calculated. In contrast, people representing themselves may miss damages available to them, fail to use accepted methods of calculating their damages, or completely undervalue their claim.

Lawsuits Are Complex and Driven By Rules of Evidence and Procedure

The practice of law is highly complex and attorneys spend their entire careers trying to master the nuances of their area of law. This is true in personal injury lawsuits, where there are always new legislation and appellate cases that continue to shape and shift the law. Also, there are highly technical rules of procedure—many of which are deadline sensitive—as well as rules of evidence that must be strictly followed. Even people who represent themselves are held to the same rules as attorneys.

Courts and Insurance Company Attorneys Will Not Take You Seriously

Finally, insurance companies have aggressive lawyers who are invested in saving their clients money. This puts unrepresented victims at an extreme disadvantage, as the responsible party’s attorney will pull no punches and take no mercy. In contrast, courts and other attorneys take victims much more seriously when they have a lawyer.

Contact Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P.

Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman, L.L.P. provides unmatched service to clients pursuing personal injury claims. We know that our clients have choices, and pride ourselves in providing thoughtful and responsive representation. Our attorneys have a record of success and want to serve you. Call Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. today at (775) 227-2280 to schedule a free consultation or contact our office through our website.

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