When to Hire an Attorney after a Car Accident?
As far as when you should hire an attorney is concerned, there is no such law that mandates it. However, to seek compensation after an auto accident, it is important to seek the assistance of a car accident attorney Los Angeles. This will help you in focusing on your recovery from the injury while the lawyers focus on pursuing legal actions. You can hire legal representation anytime during the process.
Although no guarantee hiring a lawyer will help you win the case, they can help you in gathering evidence that will prove the negligence of the defendant. They will also help you in taking care of the negotiations with the insurance agencies. Finally, how comfortable you are in handling the claim process alone will determine when you should hire a lawyer after the accident.
What do you need to know about car accident attorneys in Los Angeles?
Hiring a well-experienced injury lawyer will be very beneficial for you. They can take care of the injury settlements and insurance claims while you recover from the injury. The following are some of the things that you should know before hiring an attorney for injury:
- Injury lawyers will charge you on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will have to pay only if they are successful in winning your case.
- The attorneys have in-depth knowledge of the law and its processes.
- They have the skills to negotiate and can put your case together to get the best outcome.
- Handling car accident cases on your own is risky.
Benefits of hiring a car accident attorney
Hiring a car accident lawyer can benefit you in various ways. The following are some of the ways:
Car accident attorney knows the law inside-out
Having an attorney by your side means you have a professional who can represent you through the process. They are knowledgeable and efficient and can protect you from any events that might affect the case. The lawyer can guide and advise you in the following ways:
- Advise you regarding the shared fault rules applicable in your state and how they can hamper your case if the cause of the accident includes your negligence. Therefore, get your facts right.
- They are familiar with the statutes of limitations. Filing a lawsuit within a set timeframe is important otherwise you will be barred from the right to take it to court. There are exceptions though which the lawyer will inform you about.
- The attorney has the right to file the lawsuit on your behalf. They also know how to counter the defenses of the other party.
- In most cases, the need for a lawsuit doesn’t arise. However, you can use legal action to threaten them for a fair settlement.
Filing of insurance claim
Filing a claim to seek compensation for the damage and injury is the first step you must take after having met with an accident. There are some states which mandate comparative negligence laws. In such a condition, if your negligence also played a part in the accident then depending on the degree of your fault compensation will be deducted.
The following are some of the things that you should consider regarding the claims:
- Lack of insurance coverage of the defendant that fails to cover your loss fairly
- The severity of your injury will determine the compensation
- Some injuries due to car accidents may take weeks to manifest the symptoms
The personal injury attorney can help you in evaluating and assessing the amount of loss you incurred due to the accident. After the evaluation, they will investigate the options that are available through which you can get maximum compensation to cover the loss.
Filing Lawsuit
The following are some of the instances as to when to file a personal injury lawsuit:
- In case your policy fails to cover the losses and the defendant is uninsured then you can file a lawsuit against the other party.
- If the insurance agency offers you an unfair settlement then you can proceed to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- Your lawyer will let you know when to file the lawsuit within the stipulated time.
However, if you are ready to file a lawsuit then you must be able to prove the following in court:
- Real economic and noneconomic loss
- Proper documentation to prove the medical diagnosis and treatment
- Ability to establish the fault of the defendant
Personal injury attorney works for your best interest
To prove the fault of the other driver, your lawyer will investigate the cause and collect evidence that can be produced in court. An accident may cause severe injuries that might incur major medical expenses, property damage, and lost wages. Even if you are partly at fault for the accident, you still deserve fair compensation. Ensure that,
- the one who is at fault does not get away without compensating you or facing legal consequences
- your side of the story must be heard
- fair settlement for your losses