Another driver hit your car recently, and you have broken bones and head trauma. You’ve heard about car accident lawyers, but what are they all about, and do you need one?
Below, you’ll learn everything you should know about car accident lawyers. Contact a car accident attorney in your area today for a free consultation. They’ll tell you if your case can lead to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Car Accident Lawyers Help With the Accident Claims Process
The major task of an auto accident attorney is to obtain fair compensation for your medical expenses and other damages.
With your attorney’s help during the insurance negotiation process, you may receive compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost earnings and lost future earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Permanent or long-term disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
Your auto accident lawyer will carefully review your injuries and other losses to determine fair compensation for your damages. Then, they will begin negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company to reach a settlement that both sides are satisfied with.
Most auto accident claims are resolved with an insurance settlement. However, an experienced auto accident attorney will be ready to take the case to court if the insurance company refuses to provide enough compensation for your losses.
Ensure you hire a car accident lawyer equally adept in insurance negotiations and court litigation.
Car Accident Lawyers Fight for the Best Settlement
A car accident attorney is skilled in tort law, specifically in auto and truck accidents. Your attorney knows your state’s auto accidents, personal injury, and negligence laws.
Anyone who has suffered injuries and other losses after an auto accident caused by another person will benefit from retaining an attorney. Some of the things the attorney will do for you during your case are:
Give You Customized Legal Advice
Every auto accident and injury is different from every other. You may get confusing, contradictory information from several sources after the crash and need help with how to proceed.
Retaining a car accident attorney is the best way to ensure you know all your legal options. Your attorney will tailor the claim and evidence-gathering process to your exact accident and damages so you get the best result.
Obtain A Fair Settlement
Building a robust auto accident claim means performing a lot of investigation and gathering of evidence. Auto accident attorneys handle all of the detailed legal and administrative work behind the scenes so you can focus on your recovery.
Your auto accident lawyer will look into how the accident happened, collect photos, video, and eyewitness statements, and assemble a convincing auto accident claim to present to the insurance company. They will also ensure you don’t settle for the insurance company’s lowball initial offer.
Represent You in Court
An auto accident claim usually leads to a settlement. But only sometimes. The insurance company may balk and reject your claim. Or, it may offer far too little for your future medical expenses.
In these cases, your attorney will take the case to court in a personal injury lawsuit. There, they will argue the most persuasive case to a jury.
Prove Fault
You must prove another party was negligent to receive compensation in a car accident claim. Your car accident lawyer will spend a lot of time attempting to prove the other party was negligent.
Proving negligence means showing:
- The other party had a duty of care. For example, a car driver must obey traffic laws and drive safely.
- The other party violated their duty of care. For example, the other party hit your car at an intersection.
- The breach of duty caused your injuries: The auto accident broke your arm and leg.
- You suffered damages in the accident: You may have medical bills, lost income, and be unable to work for three months.
Collect Evidence
Auto accident lawyers perform many intricate tasks that injury victims may not know about.
For example, your attorney will search for convincing evidence to prove fault in the accident, including physical evidence at the crash scene, witness testimony, and photographs and videos, if available. They may retain an accident reconstruction expert to show the insurance company how their client caused the accident.
Assess Your Damages
As an accident victim, you may assume you should receive payment for your current medical bills. However, you can receive more compensation than that.
Your auto accident lawyer will consider your current costs and how the accident will affect you long-term. Your lawyer will look at your current and future medical needs, how the injuries affect your ability to earn a living, and the emotional and physical pain from the accident.
Your attorney will assess the full extent of your losses and demand sufficient compensation from the insurance company. Thus, you won’t be burdened by unexpected expenses in the future.
Negotiate With Lien Holders
Many accident victims receive medical care through their insurance company or local medical care providers. The medical facility or insurance company will have a lien on your auto accident claim, meaning the lien holder is paid for their services before you get your settlement.
A skilled attorney will negotiate with lien holders to reduce what you need to pay. This is important because every dime you pay for medical care is money that doesn’t go in your pocket.
Communicate With The Other Driver’s Insurance Company
It’s usually unwise for a crash victim to speak to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
The other driver’s insurance company only aims to deny your claim or pay as little as possible. They will use any statement you make to the insurance company against you. Having your car accident lawyer speak to the other party’s insurance company is always preferred.
Your attorney knows how to talk to an adversarial insurance adjuster and will communicate and negotiate with them on your behalf. Your attorney will keep you informed of settlement negotiations and let you know of any proposed offer.
The attorney will offer their professional opinion about whether to accept, reject, negotiate for more, or go to court. However, the ultimate decision about how to proceed is up to you.
Work With Your Medical Team
Many auto accident attorneys maintain ongoing relationships with medical professionals who will offer assistance with your claim. They may use their medical field connections to obtain critical medical evidence and treatments to help your case. They also may help you get necessary treatments, but you won’t have to pay until the case is concluded.
Why You Should Always Hire an Auto Accident Attorney
Hiring a car accident attorney significantly raises the chances that you will receive fair compensation.
While you will pay your car accident attorney a portion of your settlement or jury award, most accident victims who hire lawyers get more compensation than if they did their case alone.
With an attorney, you aren’t taking any risks because personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. You only pay the attorney if they win your case, and their legal fees come from the compensation you receive. Therefore, you don’t have any out-of-pocket costs.
Hire a car accident lawyer for any accident caused by another person where you have significant injuries. This means you have injuries that require weeks or months of recovery.
If the other driver was at fault and you’re in any of these situations, hire a lawyer right away:
- You have a severe or catastrophic injury. Severe injuries are expensive and will dramatically affect your life and income-earning ability. For example, you should always have a car accident lawyer if you have brain damage, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, or any injury that requires months or years of recovery.
- The other party’s insurance company rejects your claim. It may seem ‘obvious’ that the other driver caused your injuries, but their insurance company may disagree. Always have a lawyer review your case immediately if this happens.
- Liability is contested. If fault is unclear and you’re seriously hurt, you want a lawyer to fight for your side. Your compensation can be reduced if you’re partially blamed for the accident.
- You are hospitalized and/or have surgery. Any extensive treatments in the hospital, including surgery, will cost five, six, or even seven figures. With so much on the line, you need to have an auto accident attorney representing you.
- You have a permanent injury. Did you suffer an amputation, severe burns, or paralysis? If the other driver caused the crash, hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars can be at stake. Your attorney will negotiate the best compensation for you.
The best thing about an auto accident attorney is this: You can call a lawyer in your town now and get a free consultation. They will review your case and determine if you will likely receive compensation.
The attorney also will tell you if there is no case. No personal injury attorney will take a case that won’t result in significant compensation. So, you don’t have any risk by speaking to an auto accident lawyer today.
How Much Will a Car Accident Lawyer Get Me?
Every auto accident claim or lawsuit is different, and there is no ‘average’ amount you can expect.
However, auto accident claim settlements are usually affected by the following factors that will influence your compensation:
- How severe your injuries are: Injury victims with severe, disabling injuries will have a higher case value. For example, a spinal cord injury victim’s claim will be worth much more than someone who broke their ankle and wrist.
- How involved your medical care is: Your case is worth more if you need months of medical care and rehabilitation. The claim value is lower if your injuries heal after three or four weeks.
- The amount of insurance available: This is a major factor in many claims. Unfortunately, many at-fault drivers carry the state minimum insurance amounts, and you may have much higher medical bills than available insurance. Many states only require drivers to have $30,000 in bodily injury coverage, but that small amount can be used up after two days in the hospital.
- The insurance company: Some insurance companies pay more in settlements than others. Other insurance providers may fight a case more aggressively and take the matter to court.
- Whether the case settles or goes to trial: Settlements are often preferred because the injury victim receives assured compensation. However, this is less than the full case value that can be obtained at trial. A trial is risky and expensive, though. Perhaps you can get more from a jury, but they also may not award you anything.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Now
Many people are in car accidents every day. Unfortunately, far too many injured parties handle their own claim and don’t hire an attorney. Anyone with significant injuries should hire a car accident attorney for the most compensation.
By hiring a car accident lawyer, you can focus on grieving and healing while they handle the legal aspects of your case. They will provide you with the support and guidance you need during this difficult time, answering your questions and keeping you informed every step of the way.
You can speak to a personal injury lawyer in your city today for free. They will review your case and inform you if your claim could lead to compensation for your losses.
