Have you ever been involved in a car accident? Because car accidents have been on the increase in the United States over the last few years, there is every probability that you have been involved in one form of a car accident or the other. If not, then consider yourself lucky.
Accidents can be fatal or non-fatal, and even the most cautious drivers cannot avoid accidents in its entirety. As such, you must be prepared if an unfortunate incident does occur. When involved in a car accident, you have two available options to pick from if you choose to file a claim. One is to represent yourself while the other is to hire an attorney to serve you. This article seeks to provide you with the advantages of the latter option.
1) They understand time limits
In most states across Europe and America, there is a time limit for bringing up a legal action such as filing a claim. One of the distinguishing benefits of hiring the services of an accident lawyer is that the attorney will have a profound knowledge of this time frame. For example, a car accident attorney in San Diego has a thorough understanding of the time constraints specified by the State of California to file a claim in the event of a mishap. If you default in filing a claim within the specified time limit, you will have to forfeit the right to sue. Thus, your lawyer will work with you to checkmate every necessary deadline.
2) Expert Counsel
From the moment the mischance takes place, and you find yourself a victim, you will have so many questions without answers. Are you entitled to suffering and pain damages? How can you find a doctor to treat your injuries? Whose car insurance policy will cover the bills? Who bears the burden of the damage to your vehicle? How you can get paid for the time, you missed work? Having an experienced legal practitioner on your side provides you with invaluable counsel from the time of the incident through to the resolution of your case.
3) Help with insurance
Every insurance company’s goal is to make more money. To do this, they apply the tactics of delay, deny or minimize settlements. They have highly trained insurance adjusters that negotiate insurance settlements and will do everything within their power to reduce the amount of money they pay out even to the point of denying a valid claim. If you do not have expertise and experience while negotiating with insurance companies, it can be almost impossible to ensure that your interests are best represented and that you receive the full value of your claims.
However, having a legal executive represent you before the insurance company can have a tremendous impact on your claim. Legal advisers have decades of experience in dealing with insurance companies and negotiating fair settlements with the majority of their clients. They are familiar with the tactics being employed by insurance companies and thus, know how to help you get the compensation your claim is worth.
Also Read: How to Avoid a Car Accident: New Technologies and Tips
4) Prove liability for your injuries
You might know the party to be blamed on the whole accident scene but making them accept they are at fault can be very tricky and challenging. This is a vital part of every car accident claim, as individuals harmed by the actions or inactions of another have the right to compensation. However, all parties involved are likely to shift blame, making it hard to prove who is liable for your injuries. Your lawyer will sift through all the evidence to determine who caused your injuries and also to be able to build a strong case on your behalf. Car accident barristers use skills and resources which include but are not limited to:
- Consulting medical experts to ascertain the extent of the injuries
- Obtaining the accident report from eyewitnesses at the scene and police officers
- Reconstructing the scene of the accident
- Gathering all information required (medical reports, police reports e.t.c)
5) Contingency Fee
Most car accident lawyers will work for a contingency fee. The implication of this is that you will only have to pay your legal adviser’s fee after your case has been won (an already stipulated payment). In the rare occasion that your case is not won, you won’t have to pay any fees. As surprising as it sounds, hiring an attorney for a contingency fee is risk-free. As such, it’s probably in your best interest to hire one when involved in a car accident.
6) Stress-free
Another important reason for hiring a car accident attorney to represent your interests is so that you can concentrate on recovering from any injury sustained in the event of the mishap. You won’t have the added stress of trying to figure out how to represent yourself, how to get reports ( both medical and police reports), how to file a claim e.t.c. All these and many more will be taken care of by your attorney.
In conclusion, there is one thing to note, if you decide to opt-out of hiring an attorney, you run a higher risk of not winning the case at all and might end up losing far more than what you would have paid an attorney for his or her services.
