It is no secret that lawyers are not the most loved members of our community. Our reputation has been sullied unfortunately by the misdeeds of others. That is truly sad because the overwhelming vast majority of lawyers are good and decent people dedicated to helping their clients. Personal injury lawyers, through less-than-tasteful advertising, are sometimes called ambulance chasers. The public though sometimes forgets that personal injury lawyers, regardless of their reputation, are absolutely necessary in our society, and here are some reasons why:

They Provide Representation To People Who Otherwise Can’t Afford It

Many Boston lawyers charge anywhere from $ 200 – $ 500 per hour. With extensive litigation, that means someone would potentially need to pay a lawyer, or group of lawyers, tens of thousands of dollars. That is not the case with personal injury lawyers. That is because they advance all case expenses for their clients. They also do not get paid unless they win their client’s case. That is called a contingency fee. Therefore, injury victims can hire a personal injury lawyer and have access to justice, without needing to worry about the costs involved.

Personal Injury Lawyers Help Make Products Safer

Many corporations and producers of consumer goods cut corners when designing and manufacturing their products in order to save money. This puts people at great risk for serious personal injuries. Lawyers that represent people injured by products hold corporations accountable.  They bring corporations to court and require them (through verdicts) to pay significant compensatory and punitive damages to innocent people that they negligently injure. For example, many car accidents are due to defective parts and lawsuits (and the costs involved) force car manufactures to fix these problems so people are not exposed to unnecessary dangers on the road.

They Force Property Owners And Landlords To Be Held Accountable

If property owners do not reasonably maintain their properties free from hazards, they can be sued. This is referred to as premises liability. It is the threat of litigation that forces many property owners to not cut corners, and to keep their properties safe. For example, here in Massachusetts, given the snow and ice that we deal with each winter, if a property owner does not reasonably remove snow and ice from his property, he can be sued. That helps keep everyone safer. Also, landlords know they can be sued by a personal injury lawyer if they fail to fix broken steps, provide proper lighting, etc. resulting in injury to someone. That too makes society safer for everyone.

They Hold Those That Don’t Control Their Dogs Accountable

Dog owners can be sued by an injury attorney if their dog bites or attacks someone. In fact, they are automatically liable under strict liability laws in Massachusetts. Of course dogs are animals and are unpredictable, but, with the possibility of being sued, many dog owners are motivated to use their best efforts to prevent their dog from biting someone. This in turn makes everyone safer.

They Force Insurance Companies To Adequately Compensate Accident Victims

It is no secret that insurance companies try everything they can to limit the amount of compensation they pay to people that have been injured due to negligence. Personal injury lawyers level the playing field between the insurance company and the accident victim. Only then does the victim receive a full cup of justice from an insurance company. People that do not have an attorney fighting for them do not and will not receive a fair settlement. Personal injury lawyers help people obtain fair and just compensation for their injuries.