How an Attorney Can Help With a Car Accident Claim
In 2020, there were 35,766 fatal auto crashes in the United States.
Despite filing for claims, most of the victims of these crashes are yet to receive compensation. These victims have struggled to pay for their medical bills and support their families. Some have maxed out their credit cards and are depending on friends and family for financial aid.
If you’re one of these victims, seek the help of an auto injuries attorney.
Read on to learn how this attorney will help your car accident claim.
Table of Contents
Determining the Value of Your Claim
Many auto accident victims don’t know how much money to ask for when filing a claim. They only focus on the economic damages. So, they only assume that they should receive compensation to cater for medical treatment, auto repairs, and lost income.
They don’t realize that auto injuries will affect their quality of life. So, even after leaving the hospital, they may still have health problems due to the auto injuries they suffered. Also, the auto injuries may make it impossible for them to resume work.
You need the help of an attorney to know how to calculate all the damages you suffered. The attorney will guide you on how to use a car accident claim calculator. The idea is to get an estimated value of your claim.
Here are some of the key damages the attorney will help you calculate when filing a car accident claim:
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost income
• Property loses
• Diminished quality of life
• loss of consortium
• Burial and funeral expenses
• Wrongful death
• Punitive damages
Involving a lawyer will help you quantify all the above damages and sum them up. The idea is to have a figure to reference during settlement negotiations. Visit this website here to learn more about auto accident lawyers.
Determining Parties Responsible for the Auto Crash
An attorney will help you determine the parties responsible for your car accident. They’ll reach out to the police and request the accident report. The idea is to find out what caused the accident and who’s liable.
If the other driver is at fault, your attorney will guide you on how to cover damages from their liability insurance. Also, the attorney will advise you on what to do if an uninsured driver caused the auto accident.
You may also wonder how to handle a claim if it was a single-car accident. You feel you were at fault for this kind of accident, so you might think that you’re not entitled to compensation. Hire an attorney to educate you on a single car accident insurance claim.
Proving Your Claim
An attorney will help you gather evidence to prove your claim. The idea is to justify the compensation money you’re requesting.
Here are some of the things the attorney will use to prove your car accident claim:
• Police report to prove liability
• Witness statements to showcase who caused the car accident
• Medical records list down all the injuries you suffered and treatment expenses
• Pay stubs and business accounting records to prove lost income
• Expert reports to prove future damages
• Car damage estimates and proof of vehicle value
Your attorney will also prove negligent driving when seeking punitive damages.
These things aim to help you fight for fair auto injuries compensation. You want to get enough money to cover the damages you suffered.
Negotiating for Fair Compensation
After an auto accident, the liable party or your insurance will persuade you not to involve an attorney. They’ll claim that auto injuries attorneys are ambulance chasers who don’t care about you. Don’t fall for this trick, as it’ll hurt you during negotiations.
The insurance company/liable party will hire experienced attorneys to represent them. These lawyers will delay the auto accident claim process to frustrate you. The frustration will lead you to take a low ball settlement offer that doesn’t cover all the damages you suffered.
You need to hire a car accident lawyer to avoid these challenges. This attorney will guide you on how to file a car accident claim. Also, they’ll direct you on how to expedite an auto claim process.
The attorney will also guide you on the best strategies for fighting for fair compensation. The goal is to negotiate with the liable party/insurance company to agree to your claim terms. You want to receive enough money to cover medical bills, lost income, and property losses.
Legal Advice on When to Go to Trial
One of the biggest fears when filing an auto accident claim is going to trial. Trials are long and unpredictable, so it’s logical to wish to avoid them. However, don’t let your fear of going to court make you take a low ball settlement offer.
Hire an auto accident attorney to advise you on when to settle and when to go to trial. The idea is to go for the option that allows you to fight for fair compensation.
Here are some of the reasons why an attorney might advise you to go to trial:
• Claim value disagreement
• Insurance is negotiating in bad faith
• Liability disagreement
If your auto injuries lawsuit goes to trial, you need to hire an experienced attorney. Look for a lawyer who knows how to pick the right jury members. Also, the attorney you hire should help you find expert witnesses to support your claim in court.
Expedite a Car Accident Claim by Hiring the Best Attorney
To expedite the process, you need to hire an attorney when filing a car accident claim. The attorney will help you know the value of your claim. Also, they’ll help you know how to determine the liable party.
Finally, an attorney will advise you on when to take your car accident claim to trial.
For more information on handling personal injury claims, check out our blog’s extensive collection of legal articles.