This clearly isn't the case.
If the victim doesn't want to hire a lawyer, and wants to sue the company himself, he is free to do so. Of course, it will take hundreds of man-hours, so rather than take time from work or family, people often decide to hire a legal expert - known as a lawyer - to do it for them. based on the lawyer's legwork, legal skills, and the like, the victim gets compensation for his injuries.
The one time I had to hire a lawyer in my life was because a car dealer defrauded me over less than $500 worth of work on a car. They said they did it, but didn't. I could have let it go and lost the money, but I didn't. The lawyer sent a demand for $500. The company refused my demand. So My lawyer sued them. Several months later, the car dealer settled the case. I got my $500 back, and they paid the law firm for approximately $3,000 for their time and expenses.
Did I get "nothing"? Compared to the law firm, maybe. But I was fully compensated for my loss, and the defendants could have avoided this whole mess by doing the right thing earlier in the processs.
