--- description: Many injured victims and families are hesitant about working with personal injury attorneys after an accident. Find out how an injury lawyer can make the difference in your case. title: Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer? canonical: https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2013/12/why-do-i-need-a-personal-injury-lawyer/ date_published: 2013-12-18T00:02:00+00:00 date_modified: 2023-10-10T14:14:40+00:00 practice_area: personal-injury --- - Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer? [Back to CSCS Blog](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/) # Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer? [Home](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) » [Recent Posts](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/) » Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer? [December 17, 2013](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2013/12/17/) - [Uncategorized](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/category/uncategorized/) [If you have been in an accident](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2013/09/do-i-need-a-lawyer-if-i-slipped-and-fell-in-a-store/) and you are on the fence about what your next move should be, this blog should help you evaluate your options. Some people wonder, “is it worth it to hire a lawyer?” The answer is that most of the time it will absolutely be worth it, and if you are not sure then you can get a free evaluation of your case from a[personal injury lawyer](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2016/07/what-a-lawyer-looks-for-in-a-car-accident-case/). At our firm, if the case is not worth the [expense of a lawyer](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2013/10/liens-and-the-personal-injury-case/) we will **always** tell you. This is because the firm does not benefit from those cases, and more importantly in cases of small value, or simple cases that you can handler yourself, you will benefit more from not paying lawyers’ fees. So, how will a lawyer be helpful if you choose to hire one? ***1. A Lawyer Is Your Advocate Against The Insurance Company*** It is a common misconception that an insurance company is on your side. You *pay* your insurance company money for *coverage and* *protection *in the case of an accident, so this is an understandable misconception. But, [as we have previously discussed in our blog](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2017/10/top-5-mistakes-made-after-a-car-accident/), the insurance company’s first priority is to make money. It is more beneficial for them to settle a case for less than it is worth and to keep more money in its own pocket. A lawyer is always on your side and will fight against the insurance company’s own self-interest in its bottom line. ***2. A Lawyer Will Ensure That You Do Not Get Taken Advantage Of*** Because an insurance company is not on your side, it is possible to get advantage of. The insurance company expects that you many not fully understand or even know all of your rights. They also know that without a lawyer involved they do not face the[possibility of a trial.](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2014/04/what-is-a-deposition-like-in-a-personal-injury-case/) They know that you are trying to settle the case, and they will try to do it for as little as possible. When a lawyer is involved that all changes. They know that if they do not give a fair offer that the lawyer will proceed to trial. So, with a lawyer’s involvement it is more likely that the offer will be reasonable, and if a settlement cannot be reached you are already in a position to proceed to trial. You do not have to start from scratch. ***3. A Lawyer Can Properly Explain The Worth Of Your Case*** When you are negotiating a settlement with an insurance company, thoroughly explaining the extent and effects of your injuries is critical. This may involve obtaining all medical records and bills from your medical providers. In a complicated case, this could be thousands of pages that need to be tracked down and organized. A lawyer can also obtain reports from your doctors explaining the injuries and any further medical care that may be expected in the future. A lawyer is trained to understand the[value of these facts](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2016/10/factors-that-affect-the-value-of-your-personal-injury-car-accident-case/). The broken wrist of a successful 30 year old concert pianist may be different from other broken wrists. Similarly, the value of herniated discs in a 27 year old construction worker who is the sole supporter of his family must be properly calculated given the specific facts. The lost wages and diminished capacity to earn over his lifetime need to be taken into an account. You can trust in a lawyer to fully explain all of the aspects of your case and to demand a fair offer from the insurance company. ***4. A Lawyer Can Help To Avoid The Simple Mistakes That Could Cost You Lots of Money*** Insurance companies make a lot of money on simple mistakes. If you miss important deadlines, your case could be barred from going forward. No matter what the value of your case is or how unjust the result, you will not have a case if you miss critical legal deadlines. If you do not fully understand your rights you could receive significantly less money or none at all. An insurance company could deny coverage with a multitude of excuses, such as arguing that the driver did not have proper permission to operate the vehicle. In a situation where coverage is denied, no offer will be extended. A lawyer can properly evaluate the relevant law to determine if the insurance company is correct. Also, when a lawyer is the one negotiating with the insurance company nothing that you mistakenly or incorrectly say to the insurance company can be used against you. The lawyer will properly present your case to get the most fair offer possible, which might be bad news for the insurance company’s bottom line, but will always be good news for you. ***5. A Lawyer will put you at ease.*** Once you a hire a lawyer you will be assured that your case is being handled professionally, and that everything will be done right. At the law firm of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, we ensure that no stone is left unturned, and that you get full and complete justice. We will take the stress of trying to handle this off of your shoulders, and allow you to concentrate on getting better, and getting back to your everyday life. If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, call one of the[Washington DC personal injury lawyers](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/2017/06/cscs-attorneys-selected-for-inclusion-in-2017-dc-super-lawyers-list/) at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, for a free initial consultation. [Contact Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) by phone at (202) 659-8600 to get started with your personal injury claim. Find Something Interesting? Share This post Facebook X LinkedIn Email Print ## Get free advice about the compensation you deserve. At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our car accident attorneys fight tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve, handling every aspect of your case to protect your rights. Trust us to stand by you and advocate aggressively on your behalf. [Free Consultation](#) #### In This Post ## Contact Us Today! "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Name* Last Email** Phone*Are you a new client?*Are you a new client? *Yes, I'm a potential new client.No, I'm a current existing client.I'm neitherCase TypeCase TypeMotor Vehicle AccidentSlip & FallAssaultMedical MalpracticeAbuseWork InjuryOtherWere You at Fault?Were You At Fault?NoYesUnknownWhere Did The Incident Occur?Where Did The Incident Occur?Washington, D.C.VirginiaMarylandOtherDid The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?Did The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?YesNoShare Brief Description of the Incident* Send ## Recent Posts [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)08/22/2026 Partners Joseph Cammarata and Allan M. Siegel have again been... [Read More](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2026/08/2026-super-lawyers-top-100-cammarata-siegel/) [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)08/21/2026 By Allan M. Siegel, Partner — Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata &... [Read More](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2026/08/insurance-claim-denied/) [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)07/30/2026 Partner Allan M. Siegel represented two clients who were passengers... [Read More](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2026/07/cscs-wins-780000-settlement-for-two-passengers/) [Allan Siegel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/author/asiegel/)07/29/2026 Partner Allan M. Siegel served on the faculty of the... [Read More](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2026/07/partner-allan-m-siegel-invited-to-serve-on-the-faculty-at-the-aajs-first-traumatic-brain-injury-college/) Load More ```json-ld {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LegalService","@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/#firm","name":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel Personal Injury Lawyers","url":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","email":"publicrelations@dc-law.net","logo":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/new-logoBaskerville@2x.png","image":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cscs-firm-photo.jpg","description":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel is a Washington D.C. personal injury law firm with decades of experience representing accident victims throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.","foundingDate":"1969","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"},"founder":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Chaikin","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ira Sherman","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}}],"employee":[{"@type":"Attorney","name":"Allan M. 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