So, you’ve been in a car accident. Perhaps the other driver was texting or distracted. Perhaps they were impaired. Maybe snow, fog, or rain reduced visibility. Regardless of the reasons why the car accident happened, it happened. You’re now in pain. You’re traumatized. You’re the victim of someone else’s negligence.

You know you should be compensated for your medical bills, pain, and anguish. You should also be compensated for the time off you needed to take from work, the bills to fix your car, and perhaps even child care.

After everything you’ve been through recently, you don’t want to make the situation worse. You don’t want to get less than you deserve from the insurance company. But if you decide to go it alone after an auto accident, this is exactly what might happen. That’s why it’s important to retain a car accident lawyer to help you fight this fight—and win.

Here are some of the challenges you’ll have to face by yourself if you decide to go it alone.

1. Finding Time to Fight

You’ve probably never sued for a car accident claim before. As a result, you might not realize just how much commitment and dedication the legal process requires. There’s tons of paperwork. There are many meetings to go to. There are bills to keep track of. There are specialists to call and interview.

Without taking every necessary step, in the right order, you could lose your case. Suing for a car accident claim is a full-time endeavour—do you have the time?

What’s more, you could end up slowing down your recovery due to the stress of doing it all on your own. It’s a tough job—but you don’t need to be the one to do it.

2. Gaining Expertise

Even though car accident insurance claims are the most common personal injury claims, most people still don’t know what to do after a car accident. You might make critical mistakes, such as admitting some of the guilt, not taking the right photos, or even just trusting the insurance company’s claims.

Winning a personal injury claim is harder than it may look from the outside. It requires expertise. Federal and provincial laws are complex, ever-changing, and nuanced—they can be difficult to understand.

Though going it alone might be tempting to you, it’s best to leave this work to the professionals. Your case will be expertly handled, and you won’t have to research and read up on personal injuries and driving laws for hours at a time just to skim the surface.

3. Fighting Money-Hungry Insurance Companies with Deep Pockets

Though drivers have car insurance so the insurers can pay up in the case of car accidents, these companies don’t actually want to pay up. In fact, they’ll do just about anything they can to avoid paying victims. The worst part? They have the deep pockets, the time, and the resources to find ways around payouts. They invest heavily in their insurance adjusters.

Are you ready to find these insurance sharks on your own? Are you confident in your negotiation skills? Are you sure you won’t back down when the adjusters start to get aggressive or when the process has dragged on for a few years? Do you know how much your claim is really worth, or will you fall for tricks that will get you to settle for less? Dealing with insurers directly can be intimidating.

A car accident lawyer can handle all the communication, exchanges, and meetings with the adjusters. They know how to deal with insurance companies and they won’t back down or settle for less than you deserve. Retaining a lawyer is the best thing you can do if you’re looking to get the appropriate payout for your pain and injuries.