Whether it is something you saw coming from a mile away, or a surprise that came as a total shock to you, when the time comes for you to hire a lawyer, you may feel anything but comfortable. However, hiring a lawyer does not have to be a scary experience (while going through a legal matter without any legal representation could turn into a nightmare!). Many different situations may require you to hire a lawyer, but recognizing the right time to do so is just as important as actually hiring one. For example, you may find yourself in a legal dispute with your auto-insurance company over a recent car accident, and you might think its best to represent yourself during the initial stages of negotiations with your insurance. However, once the insurance company denies your claim and rejects your requests for relief, it may be too late to hire an attorney to represent you, or your claim will have seriously deteriorated due to the lack of legal representation from Day One.
Although you may be competent enough to handle your own legal issues, keep in mind that a lawyer knows not only the applicable laws, but also the relevant procedures and techniques to achieve the best possible result for you. Additionally, a lawyer will serve as your representative when confronting and negotiating with the opposition, which is a strong advocate for you and your case, regardless of the nature of your legal dispute.
If you’re in doubt of whether you should hire a lawyer for your particular situation, remember that a lawyer’s job is to represent you and counsel you in situations exactly like your own! You have nothing to lose with an initial consultation and should, at the very least, reach out to a lawyer to discuss your options.