Every year, 3 million people across the United States suffer injuries due to car accidents. Out of this number, 37,000 victims will not make it out alive.
Car accidents do happen even when you take the utmost care to drive responsibly. Understanding who was at fault in causing the accident is the first building block towards getting justice. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you collect evidence and negotiate with insurance firms or other layers who are part of the case.
Keep reading for a look at times when you need to consult a car accident attorney to help you resolve your case.
What Is a Car Accident Attorney?
A car accident attorney is a personal injury lawyer that helps you build a personal injury case after a vehicle accident.
Whether or not the accident was your fault, you should retain a car accident attorney immediately.
That’s because every state in the country falls under one of two categories when it comes to car accidents, which are no-fault and tort.
In a no-fault state, a driver is required to purchase personal injury protection insurance. When an accident occurs, the policy will offer compensation no matter who caused the accident.
Tort states, on the other hand, are those that expect you as a driver to possess liability insurance. In case of an accident, the driver who is not at fault will file a claim on the policy that the at-fault driver holds.
As you can see, either way, you need a lawyer to help you navigate no-fault or tort-based cases.
When Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Not everyone will need a lawyer after a car accident, especially if the case is quite minor. However, before you make that judgment call, you have to look at the work that goes into resolving even those trivial cases.
In most instances, you will find it prudent to hire a car accident attorney, as handling the case yourself can become time-consuming. Here’s a look at some specific scenarios where you can’t (and shouldn’t do) without retaining a car accident attorney.
1. The Car Accident Results in Serious Injury or Death
If there is someone who loses their life or is seriously injured after a car accident, you need to immediately search for the best car accident lawyers you can get.
A major accident resulting in acute injury or death will always end up in a complicated lawsuit. Sometimes there can be more than one case to deal with.
If you did not cause the accident, you might need to sue the at-fault driver for compensation. You definitely will not want to foot medical bills that arise out of such a situation out-of-pocket.
What if, after such an accident, you face a wrongful death or personal injury counterclaim? The court will have to weigh several legal issues, and at that level, you simply can’t rely on self-representation.
If you are due for compensation, then hiring a car accident attorney can make the difference in the payout you receive.
2. The Accident Involved Several People
If you are involved in an accident along with three or more drivers, you need to speak to a car accident attorney.
Car accident cases with multiple parties usually mean that there are several legal interests involved, which muddies the waters. Moreover, when there are several people all included in one accident, it slows down negotiations and settlement. Many times, there can also arise countersuits, which also make it harder to get to a resolution.
A car accident attorney can ensure you are exposed to as little liability as possible across the complex case landscape. Furthermore, a lawyer can keep tabs on and communicate more effectively with the multiple legal representatives that are part of the case.
3. If You Need to Negotiate With an Insurance Company
Insurance companies will run ads that depict them as your friend and shoulder to lean on in times of trouble. However, the truth is that for almost all insurance providers, the reflex is to pay you as little as possible.
As a for-profit business that loses its revenue when they pay you, they are not incentivized to put your interests first.
These insurance firms are the designers of the claims process through which you can seek compensation. Naturally, the system is rigged to their advantage. You, therefore, require an experienced car accident attorney who can navigate the process for you with greater resources than you can marshal.
Specifically, the resources a good lawyer needs to have to assist you are deep industry relationships and a wealth of experience in cases like yours.
Such an attorney will be equipped to anticipate the moves an insurance firm can take to limit your payout. It, therefore, becomes easier for the lawyer to counter such tactics successfully.
Whenever you bring an experienced car accident attorney on board, you will find that insurance companies extend more reasonable offers and play a little fairer.
4. When You Need to Collect Evidence for the Case
Some cases will require that you collect and analyze evidence that helps establish who was at fault. The import of such evidence is critical as it directly influences the kind of compensation you end up receiving.
A car accident attorney can assist you in collecting and assessing the evidence to help build your case.
For example, modern cars come equipped with a recording technology called a ‘black box.’ As you go about your drive, this piece of equipment logs information about your journey that can be referenced later.
After an accident where you are not at fault, you may need to access the other driver’s black box for more evidence. That will require you to get a court order for that kind of data, which an experienced lawyer can help you acquire.
Get the Justice You Deserve
Car accidents do and will keep happening. As a car owner, your job is to drive responsibly and know how to deal with an accident.
Part of the latter responsibility involves bringing on board a reputable car accident lawyer that can help you navigate the case. Take the time to understand the situations that call for a car accident attorney to avoid exposing yourself to undue liability.
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