We’ve all heard the guy – at the very least in the movies - who threatens to sue or “call my lawyer” if something doesn’t work out in his favor. In reality, people tend to be on the opposite end of the litigious spectrum – that is, they are reluctant to seek legal help when they need it. This can be especially so for car accident victims.
Many car accident victims defend their claim on their own and rely on insurance carriers to compensate them for property damage. In some instances, you can resolve an accident just fine by yourself. Side-swiping a parked car and causing minimal property damage would be an example of an accident that probably wouldn’t require legal involvement.
Accidents that cause injuries are something else altogether. Getting a new bumper after an accident is a relatively simple task, which requires limited financial resources. Receiving ongoing medical treatment and enduring suffering for days or even weeks beyond the actual accident is a vastly more complicated and costly financial, mental and physical requirement that can impact every aspect of your life.
When there is a lot at stake – your finances, your health, your future – it’s an excellent idea and your right to contact an attorney.
Most people know this, but hearing it again can’t hurt: insurance companies are not your friends. Sure, your agent may be nice when you renew your policy, but at the end of the day, insurance companies care most about their bottom lines. These are multi-billion dollar corporations and when they pay you out a claim, it’s at a cost to them. So, guess what? They want to pay you as little as possible, if they have to pay you anything at all.
Insurance companies have agents well-trained in tactics to minimize your compensation. Anytime you’ve been injured in an accident, don’t make the mistake of agreeing to a settlement, or sign paperwork, offered by the other party’s insurance agency. It is almost assured that the carrier is offering you far less than what you are due.
One of the benefits of having an attorney is they can calculate the maximum compensation due to you. Factors they take into account will include:
This last item is particularly important. Determining what your ongoing medical care needs will be usually requires collaborating with health care experts and having previous experience valuating car accident claims. All too often, people underestimate their future medical needs. The only thing worse than taking longer to recover than you anticipated is not having the financial resources to entirely pay for your recovery time.
Winning a car accident claim is not usually a straightforward or simple process. To prove you are owed money for your suffering, you will need to collect evidence. For someone new to defending car accident claims, this can be a daunting process that ends badly. Without the right evidence, you stand to not get what you deserve, or lose your claim altogether.An experienced attorney can take this evidence gathering process off your hands, and build the strongest case possible. Some things your attorney may do to achieve a favorable settlement include:
Imagine trying to do this all on your own, especially when you are suffering from injuries after your accident. For many car accident victims, this is too much of a burden to bear. They trust in a car accident attorney to take the responsibilities of evidence gathering off their shoulders, and to dramatically improve their chances of receiving the most favorable outcome to their claim.
Choosing the right attorney for your situation is similar to choosing the right person to fix your house. If you need a new roof, you wouldn’t hire a plumber, right?The law is vast and covers just about every topic in our society. For a car accident case, you will want a personal injury attorney with a proven record of helping car accident victims. The auto accident attorneys at Pierce Skrabanek have that experience. They can successfully navigate personal injury laws and car insurance claims to deliver the compensation you need to heal.If you or a loved one have been in an accident, contact their offices today for a free consultation.
