One of the first decisions to make after you are involved in a car accident is whether to hire an attorney or just deal with the insurance company on your own. In some cases, people believe they can handle their claim on their own and do not want to pay an attorney. In other situations, an insurance company tells the injured party they don’t need a lawyer and that the insurance company will take care of them.
While these seem to be valid thoughts for not hiring an attorney, there are other issues you must address before making a final decision.
Remember that the insurance company has one goal: to pay you as little money as possible. They may tell you they will treat you fairly, but their interests are the opposite of yours.
Insurance companies have trained adjusters who negotiate claims all day long and know what a fair settlement range is and what tactics to use to pay you as little as possible.
Insurance companies have attorneys who are experienced and knowledgeable about the law and insurance claims. They are working to find ways to avoid paying claims or to pay as little as possible. You need someone on your side who is also experienced and knowledgeable to give your case the best chance of success.
Attorneys will know how to address the following issues:
There are situations where it would be tough to receive full compensation from an insurance company and to navigate the interplay between different types of insurance and policies. You should strongly consider hiring a car accident lawyer in the following situations:
At this stage, a skilled car accident lawyer can be crucial in protecting your rights and maximizing your recovery. They can assess the full extent of your injuries and damages to prepare for the settlement negotiations.
Negligence is the failure to act with reasonable care to protect others’ safety. Proving a driver’s negligence is essential to recovering damages in a car accident case. All drivers have a responsibility to provide due care to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles on the road.
There may also be multiple negligent parties in a car wreck case, each of whom could be held partially liable. A seasoned auto accident lawyer in the area could help you identify who is liable in your specific case.
It is important to remember that you have only a limited time to file a lawsuit after an accident. The statute of limitations for filing a car accident claim is usually 1 to 2 years in most states. You might also need to comply with specific guidelines to be eligible for a lawsuit, such as filing a police report within a given period of time. An experienced attorney can walk you through accident laws to make sure you don’t do anything that jeopardizes your right to sue.
One crucial step in any car accident case is collecting evidence that supports your claim. This includes medical records, bills, and photographs from the accident. These types of documents can help you recover the maximum amount of damages for your case.
Legal professionals can assist victims at this stage by gathering medical records or evidence from the crash scene that they were unable to collect. A skilled local car accident lawyer may even be able to speak with doctors directly to learn about the details of a victim’s injuries.
It is often challenging to gather evidence from a car crash because of various legal barriers and tight timeframes. For example, it can be challenging to track down and obtain statements from witnesses without a well-practiced legal team familiar with the collision scene. Subpoenas are also required in certain cases to get video footage from nearby businesses or security cameras.
Additionally, one of the most important tasks of a legal professional in gathering evidence is preserving the vehicles involved in the crash. It is always essential to have numerous photographs of any vehicular damage.
However, insurance companies may attempt to take possession of the damaged car before it can be examined. Injured victims may allow their totaled vehicles to be moved and destroyed, unaware of any event recorders or other evidence that could have been collected. A knowledgeable attorney’s job is to prevent these vital mistakes that could hurt your car accident case.
To succeed in an auto wreck claim, the injured party must understand how different types of insurance and coverage can affect their case. There are a number of ways to expand the insurance money offered to the victim beyond what the other driver’s insurance details. For example, if the negligent driver was working at the time of the accident, there may be more compensation available to the victim through the driver’s employer.
It is important to contact legal counsel soon after a traffic collision to handle insurance companies, who will get involved very early in the case. Claims adjusters and other representatives may collect information from the drivers, police officers, and witnesses to create a version of the accident that suits the company’s interests. Often, these motivations are to minimize the amount they must pay an injured victim, so companies will try to protect their insured driver from any allegations of fault.
A skilled lawyer could advise you on what they should and should not say to representatives and protect them from any blame-shifting tactics by the adverse parties. Our firm always cautions against giving recorded statements, as insurance companies often try to spin them to deny claims. Additionally, those who have just undergone a traumatic accident may not understand the significance or implications of their words, so it is necessary to retain a nearby attorney whose job is to protect against legal traps.
In addition to protecting you from insurers, a skilled lawyer can also advise you about all of your potential damage claims. In addition to your medical bills, you may be able to recover damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. A car accident lawyer can walk you through all the damages you might qualify for.
Settlement options can be complicated. Most accident cases settle out of court. Hiring an experienced attorney for your case can help you better understand the legal implications of accepting any settlement offers. They can also evaluate whether settling is the best option for you.
If the injured parties and the insurance companies cannot reach an agreement, an attorney could help them file a lawsuit. If the case goes to trial, the amount of compensation awarded to the victim will be decided by a jury. A seasoned attorney could help you decide whether or not to go to trial.
If your case proceeds to trial, having a dedicated car accident lawyer by your side can make all the difference. They will gather and present evidence, question witnesses, and argue your case effectively before a judge or jury. An experienced attorney understands courtroom procedures and how to convey your story in a way that maximizes your chances of receiving full and fair compensation.
Car accidents can leave victims overwhelmed, facing injuries, expenses, and uncertainty about the future. Working with an experienced Charlottesville car accident attorney ensures that your rights are protected at every step.
There ARE instances where you may NOT need an attorney.
These situations most likely do not call for an attorney; however, even minor accidents can sometimes lead to unexpected medical or financial issues, so consulting a car accident lawyer can help you be sure.
In the wake of a car crash, a driver should not admit any wrongdoing to the other driver, the police officer, or any insurance agents. Under Virginia’s contributory negligence laws, if a driver admits that he or she may have been partly to blame, it could prevent any recovery. After ensuring that everyone is safe and has received any necessary medical attention, and the police have been notified, it is wise for a driver to call an attorney immediately.
If a person involved in a car crash has any concerns that he or she may be injured, it would be wise to let the first responders evaluate him or her and go to the emergency room to be checked by a doctor. If a medical professional examines a crash victim right after the accident, any resulting injuries can be documented from their onset. It is important to report any complaints of pain or discomfort, or soreness, immediately. Often, when an injured person waits to see a doctor a week or more after the crash, insurance companies may try to argue that the person was not injured as a result of the crash.
It is essential that you have someone looking out for your interests and collecting information to support you. There are many ways that a Charlottesville car accident attorney can help you after a car crash. By working with The Warren Firm, you could protect your rights in and out of court. To learn more about your legal options, call us today to schedule a consultation.
