In the span of a few seconds, a car accident could change your life. The damage to your car is not the worst of it. In addition to damaging your car, you might even end up with significant, long-term injuries.
Within a single year, 391,000 people were injured due to a distracted driving accident.
The right personal injury lawyer could change your life, too. They can ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Otherwise, you will have to handle the damages on your own.
Do not let a car accident turn your life upside down.
Instead, consider hiring a personal injury attorney with your best interests in mind.
Keep reading to learn how a personal injury lawyer can help your auto accident case.
1. Communicating with Insurers
During a personal injury case, your lawyer will open a line of communication with the other party’s insurance adjusters. This is an important step in making sure you receive the compensation you deserve. After all, the adjuster is the one with the pocketbook.
Given their experience with insurance adjusters, a personal injury lawyer will know how to communicate properly.
These communications can establish a good relationship with the adjuster, which can benefit your case.
If you decide to take on your personal injury case alone, your lack of experience will show. This can make discussions with the insurance adjuster difficult.
By hiring an experienced personal injury attorney, you can leverage their years of experience, know-how, and communication skills.
When looking for an attorney, make sure they are clear and concise. How they speak with you will indicate how they will communicate with the different parties involved in your case moving forward.
2. Gathering Evidence of Liability
In order to determine how much your claim is worth, the insurance adjuster will need proof of what happened.
A personal injury lawyer can help gather the evidence you need to prove liability. Otherwise, your car accident claim will not have any merit.
If you are in a car accident, make sure to take photos of the vehicles involved. Take pictures of the area as well.
In addition to reviewing any photos you took following the accident, your personal injury accident lawyer will likely want to visit the scene themselves. They will look over the area and take their own photos.
While the photos can benefit your case, seeing the scene in person can help your attorney better visualize and explain what happened.
Immediately following the accident, make sure to call the police so they can file an official police report. Ask if you can receive a copy of this report. Write down the officer’s name and get a card if you can.
Your personal injury attorney will want to get all reports regarding your case.
They will likely want to speak to the investigating officers and any witnesses, too.
A good lawyer will want to explore all avenues to obtain evidence of liability. The evidence they gather can strengthen your case.
3. Gathering Evidence of Damages
27% of car accidents result in a nonfatal injury. Meanwhile, 72% of accidents cause property damage.
When you hire a personal injury lawyer, they will also gather the evidence you need to prove damages.
Make sure to visit a doctor following your car accident. They will record any tests, medications, or treatments you will need moving forward. Then, make sure to obtain all documents, records, and bills that relate to your injuries.
Sending your medical records to a lawyer is not your health care provider’s concern. Your personal injury attorney will make sure they have all of this information to prove you sustained damages.
In order to prosecute your personal injury claim, your attorney will use medical evidence to prove your injury. They will also use this information to prove the injury was caused by the defendant’s negligence.
How does your car look after the accident? Make sure to gather photos of any repair records as well.
The more information your personal injury lawyer has to work with, the stronger your case.
4. Negotiating with Lien Holders
Did you receive any benefits from a health, disability, or workers’ compensation insurer? If so, that insurer may have a lien on your claim and be entitled to reimbursement from any proceeds you receive.
This lien means the lienholder gets paid before you do after the case is judged or settled.
In other words, the lien holder will take money that could otherwise go into your pocket.
Your lawyer will work with the lien holder to try and reduce the lien. That way, you receive more of the money you are owed.
Working with a personal injury lawyer will ensure you get as much money as possible following your claim.
5. Negotiating Your Settlement
Once your attorney gathers all the necessary information, they will start the process of negotiating your settlement.
Negotiation skills take time to develop. You will want to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer for your process. An attorney who specializes in personal injury law will know how to work your case and ensure you receive the best possible compensation.
A layperson, on the other hand, might not know how to settle an auto accident case properly.
Make sure to hire an attorney with experience for your type of case. They can then use that negotiation experience to their, and ultimately, your advantage.
An experienced lawyer will know how much your case is worth based on the evidence they gathered.
Then, they will work the case and conduct the negotiations to get as much as possible from the insurer.
Some people feel comfortable handling these negotiations without a lawyer present. However, this could cause you to lose out on the full extent of your claim. By hiring a personal injury lawyer with hands-on negotiation experience, you can make the most of your claim.
Otherwise, you might have to pay for your medical expenses and car repairs on your own.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer: How They Can Make All the Difference
When you are healing after a car accident, you need rest, not stress. Hiring a personal injury lawyer can ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. They can handle your auto accident claim for you.
We are here to help! Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
