Millions of car accidents occur in the United States every year.
That means you eventually being involved in a car accident is pretty high.
And when it does occur, your life will change in an instant.
You will have to deal with unexpected circumstances like coping with physical and emotional pain and covering medical costs with less income because of missed time at work.
Tackling all of these challenges on your own can be intimidating.
You don’t have to hire a personal injury attorney after your accident, but if you do, it can help you get fair compensation and avoid liability for the crash.
Determining whether or not you need legal representation depends on the severity of your accident claim and your comfort level with navigating the claims process alone.
In the article below, we will discuss whether or not you need to hire a car accident lawyer.
Your Lawyer Will Help You Collect Damages
If you decide to take legal action, do you know how much compensation you deserve after a car accident?
You might have a few medical bills and an estimate to fix your car, but there could be more damages you can claim.
They include:
- Future medical costs: Accident victims can be compensated for the medical care you can anticipate being billed for in the future due to the accident.
- Lost wages: A personal injury claim can also include lost wages. This would be the money you would have earned if you didn’t have to miss work because of your accident injuries.
- Lost earning capacity: These damages are awarded if your injury impacted your ability to do your job and make a living on a short or long-term basis.
- Pain and suffering: Depending on the severity of your injuries, you could be awarded thousands of dollars for pain and suffering.
- Punitive damages: Your accident claim may also include punitive damages if it can be shown the other driver was behaving recklessly or maliciously.
Your accident attorney will examine the details surrounding your accident and determine which damages you can pursue.
If you have been in a severe motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent driver, you need to take certain steps to report the crash to the appropriate authorities.
Even after a minor car accident, you should still call the police, especially if you decide to pursue an accident settlement down the road.
Your Lawyer Will Negotiate With Insurance Companies And Represent You In Court
Your insurance policy should cover many of your damages.
However, your car insurance company and the insurance company of the negligent party will try to deny your claim or pay you less than your claim is worth.
Your attorney will know what information will increase your chances of winning your claim.
They will also be ready to appeal and fight for your compensation if your claim gets denied.
Your insurance company will offer you a monetary settlement right away to do away with your claim as quickly as possible.
Their goal is to pay out as little as possible for insurance claims and avoid any personal injury lawsuits.
The settlement they offer you is almost always much less than what you deserve.
An auto accident lawyer has the experience to know when offers are too low and can negotiate a fair settlement.
Filing a claim is hard, but proving your case is even harder.
Convincing the court and jury to side with you will require extensive legal research and often requires the help of an experienced attorney.
Proving personal injury liability is extremely difficult to do on your own, even if you’ve only suffered minor injuries.
Most car crash cases require the competence and aggressive representation of a skilled auto accident lawyer, especially if your case goes to court.
Your Lawyer Knows How To Get Compensation
Your lawyer will help you manage your case from start to finish.
They will organize and preserve all evidence, and they will use their experience to handle insurance company tactics to fight back on your behalf effectively.
They will handle the legal aspects of your case so you can focus on any ongoing treatment you have for your physical injuries.
An experienced auto accident attorney will calculate the value of your claim and determine who the at-fault party is for the accident.
The at-fault driver should be responsible for injuries and other damages.
Since insurance will only pay up to the driver’s policy limits, your lawyer will also evaluate the possibility of pursuing the at-fault driver personally to seek additional compensation.
If the insurance companies don’t cooperate, your lawyers can file a lawsuit for your claim and take it to court.
Doing all of this without an attorney is extremely difficult, and you may end up settling for less than you deserve.
Be sure you find an auto accident attorney that will help ensure you win the most compensation possible.
When Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
If you decide to get an attorney for your accident lawsuit, it’s usually best to hire one quickly.
There are a few reasons for that.
First, there are several deadlines that you will need to meet, including the statutes of limitations.
The statute of limitations sets the time by which your case must be filed with the trial court.
Secondly, the evidence doesn’t last very long.
For example, surveillance camera footage may not last very long.
Many businesses delete or record surveillance camera footage in days or weeks.
Your car accident lawyer has to work quickly to obtain a video of the collision.
Roadway evidence includes skid marks, car accident debris, or wheel gouges on the shoulder of the road.
It’s essential to visit the scene of the collision ASAP to preserve this roadway evidence.
People who have been hurt in car accidents may not have health insurance or know where to turn for medical treatment.
If you need medical treatment but don’t have health insurance and don’t know where to turn, your car accident lawyer can point you in the right direction so you can get your severe injuries treated.
And lastly, memories can fade, and witnesses can lose interest.
Witnesses are more likely to come forward immediately after a car accident to share what they saw.
Witnesses may have vivid memories of the injured person in pain, or they might be angry at the at-fault driver for not paying attention.
These memories will fade over time, and witnesses will become less motivated to share what they saw.
Some will dread the idea of talking with lawyers or the possibility of going to court to testify.
Since witness testimony is so important, it’s always best for a car accident lawyer to quickly reach out to the witness.
Hire A Car Accident Lawyer From Larry Nussbaum Trial Attorneys
You shouldn’t try to handle a personal injury lawsuit on your own.
It’s in your best interest to hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
With their help, you can avoid potential problems with your case.
They’ll ensure you receive the compensation you’re due so you can cover your medical bills and other losses without stress.
If you’re ready to discuss your case with a team you can trust, Larry Nussbaum Trial Attorneys is here to help.
Schedule a free consultation to get started by clicking the box below.
