
Q: Do I need to hire a lawyer?
A: You definitely do not need an attorney for every small accident case. In fact, I do not accept cases where the injuries are minor and the likelihood of complete, permanent recovery is near 100%. Why not? Simple. In the small case, the attorney fee and costs might leave little or nothing for you after your medical bills are paid, and I don’t believe that would be fair to you. Besides, at the end of the case, you would likely be very angry at me, and I neither want nor need that to happen. The small fee I would earn wouldn’t be worth it.
However, sometimes what appears to be a minor injury can grow over time and your symptoms can get worse and worse. Your best bet, if you have been injured and you think someone else may be at fault, is to call me up and come see me. We are experienced and knowledgeable with the types of injuries that can often get worse as time progresses. If yours is one of those injuries, it is better to err on the side of caution and take action now to protect your rights in the future.
Nonetheless, if your case is small and not worth getting an attorney involved, I will tell you that. If you would like to try to handle it yourself with the insurance company, with my advice, that is fine, too. I usually charge a small consulting fee in that instance, which is thousands less than the typical attorney fee.
It is also possible that I might tell you that you don’t need an attorney because you don’t have a case! Unfortunately, the amount and content of today’s “typical” lawyer advertising has unrealistically raised people’s expectations. Not everyone who is injured in an accident is entitled to have someone else compensate them for it. People don’t like hearing that, but you are better off getting the bad news up front than rather than getting it months (or years) later after your expectations have runaway with you.
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Law Offices of Scott D. Cannon
28 Main Street
Geneseo, New York 14454
Phone: (585) 243-9330
Toll Free: (800) 343-6918
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