Many victims don’t know what to do after a car accident, which is why they hire a car accident lawyer. You should get the medical attention you need, and hiring a lawyer should often be your next step once you have received medical care.
Your lawyer will explain exactly what to do in the days and weeks after your crash. They can review any records you have, listen to your story, and gather evidence of what happened. Your San Jose car accident attorney will immediately determine how to best seek the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages you have suffered.
Steps to Take Following a Car Accident
While you will face unique challenges after your accident, there are certain steps that every car accident victim should take after their collision. You should:
Get a Medical Examination Right Away
Car accidents often cause physical injuries that are immediately apparent, and you know you need medical attention. However, some common injuries, like whiplash, might not have immediate or visible symptoms. If you haven’t already gotten an extensive medical evaluation, do so as soon as possible. Diagnostic tests can ensure doctors diagnose all your injuries.
Hire a Car Accident Attorney as Soon as You Can
Health is always the greatest concern. However, protecting your case for compensation should also be on your mind. Hiring a lawyer will ensure that you protect your case, as your lawyer will:
- Take over communications with insurance representatives
- Instruct you about how to set your case up for success
- Ensure nobody violates your rights or undermines your case
Your mind may be clouded after suffering a serious accident. A lawyer will ensure your case is safe as you focus on recovery.
Document the Challenges You Face After the Collision
To the degree that you can, document the harm you’ve suffered because of your car accident. You may do so by:
- Keeping copies of medical images, medical bills, and doctors’ notes regarding your injuries
- Keeping records from any mental health professional you see after the accident
- Maintaining a journal detailing injury-related symptoms, pain and suffering, and other challenges resulting from your accident
Never throw anything away that might potentially benefit your insurance claim or lawsuit. Present anything relevant to your car accident attorney, as they might use it to support your claim and damages.
Trust Your Lawyer’s Advice
If you do the necessary due diligence to find a lawyer you trust, you should follow their advice. An attorney will ensure that:
- You are doing everything necessary to document your accident-related damages
- You do nothing that can compromise your case for compensation
- You act in the best interests of your health and financial well-being
Car accident lawyers want their clients to complete a total physical recovery. Your lawyer will also work to ensure your complete financial recovery. While you have control over the outcome of your case, it is generally wise to follow your lawyer’s counsel.
Why Crash Victims Often Hire Car Accident Attorneys
If you are still weighing whether to hire a car accident lawyer, consider why other car accident victims have turned to attorneys for help. You may hire a lawyer because:
- Your health prevents you from handling your case: Many car accident victims are overwhelmed by physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms. Even if these victims might ordinarily handle different insurance claims, serious health problems may prevent them from doing so following a serious collision.
- You want a lawyer’s experience on your side: Attorneys offer real-world experience and valuable insight into what a car accident case requires. When you hire a lawyer, you benefit from the years of experience they have accumulated.
- You want a lawyer to protect you and your case: A lawyer serves as a barrier between you, insurance companies, and anyone else who might try to undermine your case. This protection is priceless and a standard feature of hiring a car accident attorney.
- You want a law firm’s financial backing: Your attorney and their firm will provide essential financial support for your claim or lawsuit. From covering filing costs to paying experts to contribute to your case, your law firm will ensure you pay no out-of-pocket costs when building your case.
As you can see, a lawyer may benefit your health, ease your financial concerns, and provide much-needed protection while you are recovering.
Contingency Fees Make It Easy to Hire a Car Accident Attorney
Car accident attorneys frequently use contingency fees, a structure that benefits accident victims in several ways. Contingency fees mean:
- You pay no upfront fee to the law firm
- The law firm generally covers all case-related costs
- Your attorney will only receive their fee if they obtain a settlement or jury award for you
This fee structure incentivizes your lawyer to build the strongest case possible. Expect your attorney to invest various resources, including expert services, into your claim or lawsuit. When you’re looking for a lawyer, their fee structure is one of many factors you should weigh.
How to Find the Right Lawyer for Your Car Accident Case
There are several ways to find a car accident lawyer, including through:
- Internet research
- Recommendations from trusted individuals
- Local ads
Researching car accident lawyers online is arguably the most versatile means of research. As you review law firms, you should consider:
How Often They Represent Car Accident Victims
While many personal injury law firms represent car accident victims, you should determine how important car accident cases are to the firm you hire. The firm should feature car accidents prominently on its website, and you should see many case results for car accident victims.
Results They’ve Obtained in Car Accident Cases
Case results are a lawyer’s report card. You can tell how effective a car accident lawyer is by evaluating:
- The value of settlements and verdicts a firm has obtained for car accident victims
- The number of jury awards the law firm has obtained, as this indicates the firm goes to trial when necessary
- The total number of financial recoveries the law firm has obtained for clients
You may pay specific attention to cases similar to yours. For instance, if you have a traumatic brain injury (TBI), see if the law firm has secured compensation for other car accident victims with TBIs.
Whether Former Clients Recommend the Firm
Former clients can tell you much about a law firm, including:
- How lawyers treat clients
- How frequently and compassionately the law firm communicates
- Whether the firm takes cases to trial
- Whether the law firm is worth trusting and hiring
Though some clients may leave unfairly negative reviews, take client reviews seriously. Consider the totality of the reviews to get a complete picture of the law firm.
Where the Firm Has Offices
If two law firms are equal, you might choose the firm closer to you. Your attorney will need to gather evidence, attend case-related appointments, and handle other duties that require them to be close. Consider convenience when choosing your car accident lawyer.
Whether You Trust the Firm After Your Free Consultation
Free consultations are a valuable experience for anyone seeking a lawyer. You can speak with a firm’s representative at no cost and ask questions about the firm and your case.
A free consultation may give insight into how a firm treats its clients, for better or worse.
What to Expect After You Hire Your Lawyer
Once you retain a law firm to lead your car accident case, expect your lawyer and their team to:
- Explain the next steps: Your lawyer will lay out the next steps in your case. They will be in charge of all important responsibilities, so they may simply urge you to focus on your recovery and follow your doctor’s orders.
- Develop a case strategy: Each case requires a unique, personalized strategy. Your lawyer will review all relevant information and create a strategy specific to you.
- Lead all case-related responsibilities: Your attorney will lead communications, deal with insurance companies, and take all other case-related duties off your hands.
- Update you as the case progresses: Expect your lawyer to be in touch about the status of your case. This should provide peace of mind that your claim or lawsuit is moving forward and that your lawyer is in control.
Insurance claims and lawsuits can be complex, but this isn’t your concern. Allow your car accident lawyer to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of your case while you work toward recovery.
How Your Lawyer Will Pursue Your Settlement or Judgment
Attorneys handle all of the demands of insurance claims and lawsuits, which generally include:
Handling Administrative Duties
Lawyers must ensure their clients can focus on their health and recovery. You should not worry about phone calls, letters, paperwork, or other case-related duties. Your lawyer and their team will shoulder these responsibilities for you.
Detailing Clients’ Damages
Your legal team will document each of your recoverable damages. Because each client has different damages, lawyers obtain different forms of documentation in each case, which can include:
- X-rays, MRIs, and other diagnostic images
- Medical records explaining the client’s injuries and symptoms
- Medical bills
- Mental health experts’ diagnoses of pain and suffering
- Invoices for mental healthcare
- Evidence of lost income and other professional damages
- Invoices for the repair or replacement of the client’s vehicle
Allow your lawyer to evaluate your damages and secure documentation for each.
Calculating a Case Value
Once your lawyer has evaluated your economic and non-economic damages, they will know the value of your case. Your car accident lawyer will insist that liable parties cover the cost of all your damages.
Securing Evidence of Defendants’ Negligence
Your lawyer will investigate the car accident and secure evidence of negligence. This evidence may include:
- Video of the accident
- An expert’s reconstruction of the accident (which may be especially beneficial if there is no video of the accident)
- Experts’ opinions about who caused the accident
- The police report
- Photographs of vehicle damage
Your attorney may also use your account of the accident, which may mesh with witnesses’ accounts.
Negotiating Settlements
Your legal team will negotiate a settlement on your behalf. Statistics suggest that settling is the most likely outcome of your case.
Your lawyer will prepare evidence of negligence, proof of your damages, and expert accounts before settlement negotiations. They will also explain how they calculated your damages and then demand a fair settlement from the liable parties.
Going to Trial When Necessary
If the parties responsible for your car accident are unwilling to settle, your lawyer may take your case to trial. You must greenlight a trial, and your lawyer will discuss this with you if necessary.
Accident-Related Damages You Deserve Compensation For
Every car accident victims must demand fair compensation for their damages, which often include:
Professional Harm
Car accident-related injuries can lead to:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Lost chances for bonuses, promotions, overtime pay, and other performance-related perks
- The total loss of your career if your injuries are disabling
Your attorney will evaluate your professional circumstances and calculate related damages.
Vehicle Repair Costs
If your vehicle was involved in the accident, your lawyer will work with automotive professionals. They will determine:
- Whether your vehicle is repairable or totaled
- How much it will cost to repair or replace your vehicle
- How much temporary transportation will cost you
Your attorney will also consider the cost of replacing any other property damaged during the accident.
Pain and Suffering
Your attorney will account for physical pain, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lost quality of life, and other forms of pain and suffering caused by the accident.
Medical Expenses
Your accident-related medical bills will be part of your lawyer’s settlement demands.
Car accident attorneys often represent those touched by fatal accidents. If your loved one has passed away, you should receive fair compensation for funeral costs, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Don’t Wait to Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer
Your attorney has limited time to file your case. The statute of limitations is a strict deadline for injury lawsuits, so you must hire your car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
