Hurt in a big rig incident, should I hire an attorney?

This is an answer I posted to a question on AVVO regarding whether a person that was hurt in an incident with a big rig should hire an attorney. Three other lawyers agreed with my response.

Kyle Joseph Scott
Newport Beach Car / Auto Accident Lawyer
3 Lawyers agree

Answered 16 days ago. It has been my experience that the majority of big rig incidents will end up in litigation. So I think that you will be best served by an attorney that practices in Southern California. There are a great many competent attorneys in the Southern California area. I would suggest looking for attorneys that are associated with CAALA.org (Consumer Atty. Assoc. of L.A.), as they are attorneys who primarily only represent injured people against insurance companies or corporations like FedEx. Second, you have to get the right treatment. If you are having ongoing physical complaints four months after the accident, then you probably need to see a specialist, like an orthopedist or neurologist, depending upon your complaints. You may need further diagnostic testing, such as an MRI or a CT scan with contrast. You never want to settle your claim based upon the assumption that you will eventually get better, until you know whether you have injuries, such as a herniated or bulging disc that may continue to cause pain or degenerate further and cause increased pain. Once you know the extent of your injuries then a competent plaintiff’s attorney will either be able to resolve your claim with a demand letter and follow-up negotiation. If the negotiations don’t result in what you think is a fair settlement offer, then you need an attorney that will litigate the claim and take it to trial if necessary. Good Luck, Kyle Scot

Kyle Scott Law Firm