When people have legal issues, the first move is usually to get a lawyer to represent them. However, you can represent yourself in court if you think you can do a good job. For example, you may know how the legal system works and think you can represent yourself adequately. On the other hand, you may feel that your case is so straightforward that anyone could handle it. Whatever is your reason, our personal injury lawyers discuss the options available to you and why you should not represent yourself in a personal injury case.

Can I Represent Myself in Court?

Traditionally, lawyers have been saddled with the task of representing individuals during legal proceedings. However, there are occasions where people may feel that they are better off representing themselves. This decision could be a result of any number of reasons.

First off, they may think that their cases are so simple that anyone can argue them adequately. For some others, it could be that they are not able to afford a lawyer. Whatever may be the case, in this section, we look at what the law permits in such situations.

In the United States, people have a right to represent themselves in court. However, this right is not absolute. The result of a trial could have far-reaching implications for all parties involved. Therefore, defendants are not simply allowed to represent themselves as soon as they indicate a desire to do so.

While no single factor can determine if a person can represent themselves, the judge usually decides on this. One factor that is typically considered is the person’s level of education. Based on this, someone with little or no education is not likely to be allowed to represent themselves.

Why You Should Not Represent Yourself

Now that we’ve established that you can represent yourself in court, provided you meet certain requirements, we will discuss why you should not. First off, if your injury is minor with very little damage done, then representing yourself might be a great idea. Even if a lawyer represents you, there aren’t likely to be any significant claims since it is not severe. However, read on if you have been involved in a major accident or have incurred significant damages.

The first reason you should not represent yourself in a personal injury case is that you would be dealing with professionals. In a personal injury case, the insurance company and their team would do all they can to pay as little as possible. Therefore, they would hire professionals who would have typically handled several cases that are similar to yours.

Compared to you, these professionals are aware of the minor details of the case. The experience that they have dealing with similar issues would also be vital as they face you. What’s more? They may also have a competent team tasked with making sure that they succeed. Going against them is almost a sure way to lose. Except you have some experience, winning a case against them would be virtually impossible.

Another reason why you should not represent yourself is that you may not get the compensation you deserve. As we pointed out earlier, the defendants would want to ensure that you get as little as possible, so they would most likely make you a very low offer. However, since you have no idea what to expect, you may accept it, and that could be difficult to reverse in the future.

How Can the Personal Injury Lawyers at Pinder Plotkin Help You?

If you have been involved in an accident and believe it resulted from someone else’s negligence, we can help you. Our lawyers have significant experience dealing with personal injury cases and would give recommendations tailored to your action. We would love to help you get the compensation that you deserve, so contact us today.