Top Reasons Why You Should Hire A Car Accident Lawyer

With the number of cars and motorists on the road, a car accident is a common occurrence that usually causes serious injuries and damage to property. If you or your loved one is involved in a car accident, it’s crucial to engage with a car accident lawyer before the police or the insurance company asks questions concerning the details of the event for your claim.

Learn the top reasons why you need to hire a car accident lawyer by reading below.

Get Expert Legal Advice

A car accident can be stressful, most especially when it comes to the financial aspects involved. Aside from the physical injuries you sustain, this unfortunate event may also pose challenges regarding the payment of medical expenses, car repair, and going back to your normal daily routine, like work and family life. That’s why you need a trusted, reliable, and experienced car accident lawyer so you can get expert legal advice when facing all of these issues.

Here are some examples of expert advice that a car accident lawyer can provide immediately after a car crash

1. Prioritize safety by moving away from the scene of the accident, and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
2. Call the police and file a police report that you can use to make a claim from your insurance company for the damages of your vehicle. Avoid changing the position of the vehicle until the police arrive.
3. Avoid guessing or speculating details of the incident. Make sure that your statement is accurate. If you’re dizzy or cannot remember what happened, tell the police officer that you’re still shocked and cannot provide a statement until your lawyer arrives.
4. Take pictures of the incident, most especially visible bodily injuries and damages on your vehicle.
5. Obtain all the necessary information of all parties involved if a police officer doesn’t respond to the accident, including the complete name, complete address, and contact numbers.
6. Notify or call your insurance company as soon as possible to check the medical benefits included in your insurance coverage.

Gather Relevant Evidence

Your car accident claim should be backed up with substantial evidence. That’s why it’s crucial to obtain evidence from the scene, such as photos, videos, and witnesses’ contact information. A car accident lawyer can help you collect and preserve crucial pieces of evidence by sending a spoliation letter.

Here are some ways a car accident lawyer can help with the investigation of a car crash incident:

1. An experienced car accident lawyer usually hires an independent investigator. This step is vital to analyze the real cause of the accident to determine financial responsibility and liability.
2. The police report will be used to conduct an independent investigation to gather and examine enough measurements, final resting points, skid marks, impact markings, and all pieces of evidence left by damaged vehicles, which aim to reconstruct the accident.
3. Vehicle inspections help in testing the vehicles for any malfunctions or defects in the mechanical components, like brakes, lights, or tires to determine if the condition of the car possibly caused the crash.
4. Depositions or interviews will be set up with the authorities, witnesses, and all parties involved.

Evaluate Your Claim

Depending on the extent and nature of your whiplash injuries or other related injuries, a car accident lawyer will help you determine the worth of your claim. It’s better to hire a car accident lawyer, most especially if you’re severely injured or don’t have any background in claims processing.

Here are the possible damages included in a car accident claim:

1. Medical Expenses: This includes consultations, hospitalization expenses, heat pads, crutches, bandages, medication, and physical therapy expenses. Your car accident lawyer will calculate the cost of future expenses in treating ongoing conditions by interviewing your doctor, physical therapist, and other healthcare workers involved in your care.
2. Damage to Property: A car accident lawyer will help evaluate your claim for car repair or replacement, as well as claims for other belongings, including jewelry, shoes, and clothing.
3. Lost Wages: The car accident may affect your ability to earn for a living in the future, so your car accident attorney will help you file a claim for lost wages. Even if you’re unemployed, you can still file a claim under this category, provided that you’re able to show what you would have earned from other sources between the date of the settlement and the accident.
4. Pain and Suffering: The damages for pain and suffering are payable depending on the extent of pain you have suffered, type of injury, and prognosis of the injury. It includes emotional damage and psychological injury, including shock, embarrassment, anxiety, stress, and humiliation.
5. Loss of Affection: Injuries sustained by an individual in a car accident may affect a marriage. You may file a claim for loss of consortium, affection, care, and even sexual relations. The uninjured spouse files the claim.

Conclusion

If your insurance company offered compensation, but you’re not satisfied with the amount, a car accident lawyer can help you bring the case to court so you’ll receive the maximum compensation for your claim. By doing so, you also ensure that you’re fully covered until you go back to work, as well as to safeguard your future and that of your family’s.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.