Personal injuries are common, but to many people, going through a personal injury claim is the last thing they want to. The problem for many is the little legal information they have, plus there is a lot of misinformation surrounding personal injury claims. Yes, there are many false myths concerning personal injury claims that you ought to know if you are to get the compensation you deserve. Let us look into and debunk some of the common ones. 

You can file your claim at any time

Anyone telling you this is lying! You have a stipulated time frame within which you should file your claim, as per what is known as the statute of limitations. The time limits vary depending on the type of injury sustained. If you file your claim after the window period elapses, you cannot receive any compensation. Therefore, it is advisable to file your claim as soon as possible. 

The person or business at fault will compensate you out of pocket

Do not hesitate to file a claim for fear of causing financial losses to the person or business that is responsible for your injuries. Quite often, the person's or company's insurance company will take the liability and compensate you for your losses and medical expenses. 

You don't have to file a claim if you sustained minor injuries

As a rule of thumb, don't underestimate personal injuries. Minor injuries can lead to substantial medical expenses that can hurt your finances.  Moreover, do not incur the cost of injuries that were not your fault. You can file a claim as a way of protecting your rights.

You do not need to hire a lawyer, you can handle a claim on your own

You can handle a personal injury alone, but you need a legal hand if you are to protect your rights. Hiring a lawyer is the best decision you can make to maximize your odds of getting the compensation you deserve. According to a Nashville TN personal injury attorney, these types of claims can get complicated, plus the other parties will want to protect their interests. You need someone on your side with a track record handling similar types of cases. They have the expertise and the knowledge that you might not have to handle such a situation.

Hiring a lawyer is very expensive

A lot of people fail to make personal injury claims as they want a lawyer to represent them, but at the same time, they think it is so expensive! This myth is incorrect because most experienced lawyers offer a cost-free initial consultation. Additionally, they often operate based on legal contingency fees. You can pay them a certain percentage of your settlement amount if you win. This way, your lawyer will work so hard to attain the highest settlement amount. This system also makes it possible for you to get justice despite your financial situation.

If the injury was not your fault, the liable party must compensate you

Just because you were not at fault, you are not guaranteed compensation. Insurance companies and any party at fault will often want to evade paying for compensation. They will try to exploit any flaw to get defense against the claim. You may fail to receive your compensation due to minor issues like how soon you visited the doctor after the injury, your role in the incident, talking about the case online, etc.  However, with an experienced lawyer, you can be able to seal any loopholes that they are likely to take advantage of to avoid compensating you. 

The personal injury claim takes a long time before settlement.

Due to the perception that the settlement of personal injury claims takes a long time, some people prefer not to initiate them. Well, you ought to know that most claims are settled quickly with no need to go to the courtroom for trials. Although there is a probability of you going for a court trial, there are higher chances that you will not. As long as you have competent legal representation, your settlement process should be fast.

Personal injury lawsuits are frivolous

There is also a myth that some personal injury lawsuits are frivolous. What this means is that you are chasing a lost cause, and you have no chance of winning. That's not true! If you get injured in an accident that was not your fault, it is genuine to ask for compensation to protect your rights. Your lawyer will help fight for your rights and ensure that you get what you deserve for the damages caused. 

Wrapping up

In a nutshell, you need to protect your rights after a personal injury incident. Don't let the myths surrounding personal injury claims deter your quest for justice. Most of these myths are false, and you should only pick the right advice from a qualified personal injury attorney!