Being in a car accident is a frightening, overwhelming experience. In the aftermath of an accident, especially if you’re seriously injured or your car is totaled, the amount of stress you can suffer is difficult to overstate. Because you’ll be mentally vulnerable during this time, hiring a car accident lawyer to guide you through the aftermath is highly recommended. Here are five key reasons to hire a car accident lawyer post-accident in 2023:
1. To Ensure You File Your Lawsuit Correctly
Let’s be honest, filing a lawsuit can be downright confusing. Whether we’re talking about setting the lawsuit up for success or making sure every box in your filing documents is checked properly, the stress of knowing whether or not you’ve filed correctly can be overwhelming. Especially in the aftermath of a bad car accident, it can be easy to make mistakes that will end up costing you time and money in the long run. In some cases, it could even cost you the settlement that you rightfully deserve for your suffering and damages. With this in mind, having a knowledgeable and dedicated car accident lawyer by your side post-accident is highly recommended. Not only can they help you navigate the strange legal waters ahead, but they can take many of the more tedious post-accident tasks off your hands, allowing you to focus on healing and moving on from your accident instead.
2. To Help You Gather Proper, Useful Evidence
If you want your auto accident lawsuit to be a slam dunk, you’ll need to gather as much evidence as humanly possible to support your side of the story. Pictures from the scene of the accident, police reports, witness testimony, public records, insurance documents, driver histories, and more may be useful in proving that you were not at fault for the accident you were involved in. Beyond simply proving that you were not at fault, you may need to prove that another party was at fault if you truly want a slam-dunk case. A car accident lawyer has all the know-how needed to gather evidence in a quick, efficient, and successful manner. Additionally, by allowing them to handle this process, you can make sure you separate yourself from any aspect of the case that could cause legal complications later on. Focus on yourself, and simply give the lawyer any information they need to help them track down the evidence you’ll need to win your trial (and/or gain a fair, substantial settlement).
3. To Avoid Personally Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Nobody likes interacting with insurance company reps. Not only are they often rude, but it’s literally their job to try to discover ways to prevent you from getting the payments you rightfully deserve. When dealing with another driver’s insurance reps, the process is often even more hairy and frustrating. To avoid this ordeal altogether, pass the responsibility off to your car accident lawyer. Many lawyers will tell you that doing so is also the more legally sound option, as they will have the know-how (and lack of emotional instability) to get through this process ASAP. You have enough on your plate after an accident, and dealing with rude insurance reps is the last thing you’ll want to be doing. So why do it at all if you don’t have to?
4. To Receive the Best, Fairest Compensation Possible
Many people fail to realize that most car accident lawsuits never make their way to court. Instead, these legal battles are often settled outside of court, where the victimized party receives a payout (either from the responsible driver or that driver’s insurance company). Even fewer people understand that the first settlement amount that’s offered is almost always a major lowball amount. You’ll be pressured into taking this amount in most cases if you do not have a lawyer by your side. With the right lawyer, however, you can feel more confident that you can push past any lowball amounts, and end up with a substantial, fair, and hopefully maximized settlement offer in the long run.
5. To Help You Prove Liability Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
In the rare case that your car accident case does go to trial, you’ll desperately need a legal rep to assist you. Court cases are complicated, confusing, and often overwhelming, after all. By allowing a car accident lawyer to take on the responsibility of this case, you can sit back, relax and wait till the judge calls the case in your favor. With the right mindset, legal representation, and evidence, you’ll have no trouble winning your car accident lawsuit (or criminal case).