Sometimes when you have legal troubles, you don’t need an attorney to help you resolve them. For example, if you choose to contest a speeding ticket, you should be able to handle the process on your own. On the other hand, there are many situations in which you don’t have enough knowledge to successfully navigate the legal system without professional assistance. Here are three of them.

1. You Need Lots of Evidence To Prove Your Case

Although you can present evidence in a small claims court, generally, the evidence isn’t complicated and is easily accesible to you. For example, if you received a speeding ticket because you were driving a loved one to the emergency room, you have all the evidence you need to make your case. However, if you’ve developed mesothelioma because your workplace contained asbestos and your employer hid that information from you, your argument is much more complicated. Witnesses must testify that your building has asbestos, you must prove that your employer covered up its presence, and a doctor must attest that you have the disease. These different sources of evidence are too much to handle effectively on your own, so you should reach out to a mesothelioma attorney.

2. You’re Not Sure What a Document Means

Throughout your personal and business life, you have to sign many documents. From new hire contracts to last wills and testaments, adding your signature to contracts means that you accept everything that’s in them. However, if you don’t completely understand every line of a document, you risk agreeing to something of which you don’t approve. This is especially dangerous in business deals, since companies sometimes hide fees and penalties in the fine print. Hire a business attorney to look through each document before you sign it. That way, you avoid unintentionally breaking your agreements or losing money.

3. Your Opposing Party Has a Lawyer

If you’re in a dispute with someone else and he or she has a lawyer, you need one as well. Without the help of an experienced lawyer, you’re likely to be disadvantaged in any settlement you reach. After all, your opponent’s lawyer understands the relevant laws much better than you and knows how to get the best deal for his or her client.

You don’t need to understand every law related to your field as long as you know when it’s time to hire an attorney.