4 Reasons Why a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Not Take Your Case

Hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you after an accident or injury is essential to help you get the compensation you deserve. However, not all personal injury lawyers will agree to take on every potential client’s case. Even though there are now 48,373 personal injury law firms in the US, many only take on specific cases they know they can win. 

Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers, an experienced personal injury law firm in Oklahoma City, shares four key reasons why a personal injury lawyer may decline to represent you.

You Don’t Have a Strong Liability in Your Personal Injury Case

A personal injury lawyer may not take your case if you don’t have a strong argument that the other party was liable or responsible for your injuries. Personal injury lawyers only get paid if they win your case, so they need a strong liability case to have a good chance at winning compensation. Factors like unclear fault in a car accident, lack of evidence for a slip and fall, or not having defective documentation for a product liability claim can weaken your liability case. If it is hard to prove that the other party is liable, the lawyer may decline your case.

Your Claimed Injuries Are Not Serious Enough 

The extent of your injuries and damages is crucial for the value of a personal injury settlement. Lawyers are looking for cases where clients have incurred major injuries, expenses, lost wages from work, and other substantial damages due to someone else’s negligence. Minor injuries like scrapes or bruises that healed quickly or did not require much medical treatment are not worth a lawyer’s time investment, as the potential compensation from a settlement would be very low. Serious injuries that result in disabilities, large medical bills, and loss of quality of life issues have much higher settlement value potential. Damages for a traumatic brain injury, for example, are typically more than $100k.

The Personal Injury Case Is Too Complex

Some personal injury cases involve extremely complex legal issues that make building a strong case difficult for the lawyer. For example, cases against large pharmaceutical companies for medication side effects or medical device malfunctions require extensive litigation resources, expert witnesses, scientific data analysis, and more. However, the settlements can be huge, with the GlaxoSmithKinle lawsuit in 2012 settling for $3 billion. Highly complex cases also take more time in court proceedings and negotiations. Many personal injury lawyers have limited resources and need cases they can resolve more quickly. 

The Statute of Limitations For Your Personal Injury Claim Has Expired 

Personal injury cases have strict statutes of limitations – time limits to file the claim after an injury occurs. This can range from 1 to 6 years, depending on the state and type of claim. If you try to contact a personal injury lawyer after the statute of limitations has already expired for your accident/injury, they will not be able to take your case. Even if you have strong evidence and damages, the expiration makes it impossible for them to help you recover compensation. Consulting a lawyer soon after your injury occurs ensures there is time to build a strong case before that deadline.

With the right preparation and timely contact, you can increase your chances of having your personal injury claim represented successfully.