Some Skills a Personal Injury Lawyer Should Have

Like the of practice of any specific type of law, the attorneys and legal professionals who practice it oftentimes require special knowledge, skills and experience to be the most effective advocate that they can be.  A personal injury lawyer is no different.  This article will explore some skills which these types of attorneys generally need to be successful in their field.

One large area of knowledge and skill which a personal injury lawyer should have at least a working knowledge of is medicine.  This seems unfair.  The reason being of course is because typically we require our doctors, nurses, and other medical care professional to undergo rigorous scholastic and training regimens that can be more in depth and difficult that even those required of attorneys.  That said, a personal injury lawyer does not need to know how to perform surgery or even give CPR; however, they should have a basic understanding of various types of injuries and the accompanying treatment which these injuries may require. 

There are a few reasons for this.  One simple one is that the personal injury lawyer needs to be able to advise their client.  In instances where a doctor has recommended one or more types of treatment, the attorney needs to interpret these recommendations in light of the case.  For example, if a client is involved in a car accident, they very well could develop a herniated or bulging disc.  This type of harm can be treated a number of different ways, but a number of different doctors (chiropractors, neurologists, orthopedists) and using a number of different techniques (chiropractic adjustment, heat pads, surgery, injections).  The simple fact of the matter is that it can be impossible to always know the outcome of a particular type of treatment on a particular type of injury.  For example, some studies have suggested that back surgeries are approximately 20 percent effective at relieving back pain and/or back injuries. 

While the number of types of treatments and doctors available to an injured client may be numerous, there are also other factors at work which a personal injury lawyer must consider and relay to the client when they are talking about medical treatment.  For example, the insurance policy may be at issue.  Most times, if someone is injured through the fault of another person, then that other person’s insurance (if they have insurance) is on the hook for the medical bills.  Even though that insurance company may have to pay for medical treatment, they are generally only required to do so up to the limit on the policy.  The “limit” is the amount that the insurance company contracted with their insured to cover in the event of an accident. 

Sometimes there are cases where the limit on the insurance policy is less than the amount that a person may need medical treatment for.  In cases such as these, the personal injury lawyer may use their working knowledge of medical treatment to advise the client on which types of treatment are more appropriate for their particular case, from a legal and insurance standpoint.

This article is not meant to be anything other than information on the law.  For legal advice, please speak with an attorney.  Will Beaumont.  New Orleans.