Pursuing legal action can be challenging, especially when you are recovering from a car accident. Each year, millions of car crashes occur in various scenarios, including at-fault and no-fault situations such as driver errors, rear-end collisions, texting and driving, and other distractions. In such circumstances, the vital importance of retaining a car accident attorney cannot be exaggerated.
Who are car accident lawyers and what do they do?
The car accident lawyer is an authorized professional responsible for legal representation of your accident and fights your case to recover the accident damages. The personal injury lawyer goes above and beyond to help you cover medical bills and arrange fair settlements.
The attorney possesses in-depth knowledge of the law and knows how the local court system functions for a particular case in the country. He/She holds the responsibility to make your case a full-recovery case and doesn’t let you suffer for anybody else’s negligence. They investigate the car accident, collect evidence that can help your case represent other driver’s negligence, and work on negotiations.
It is best to speak with an auto accident law firm or the hired lawyer first, then with your car insurance company if you have met with an accident.
However, it is upon you to decide the best possible scenario when you should hire a car accident lawyer. This article is designed to accommodate various cases where you should hire a car accident attorney and how they work best in your favor.
In What Situations Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Minor accidents with little damage might not need you to file a lawsuit, but something more than just a fender-bender will.
If you are in the US and the accident occurs in any of the no-fault insurance states, the entire incident is looked upon differently. The US follows no-fault insurance laws in the following 12 states: Florida, Kansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Pennsylvania, and New Dakota.
Now, What is No-Fault Insurance?
As the name suggests, no fault insurance means-Regardless of who is at fault for the accident, the insurance companies in these states have to pay each driver their own medical expenses or any other financial losses under personal injury protection claim.
The driver at fault is responsible for paying expense for the property damage. Now, processing this claim is a task that needs your time, investment, and energy. Seeking the assistance of a car accident lawyer is essential to navigate this process effectively.
The car accident lawyer is here to make the entire process of receiving compensation for injuries and damages, more efficient and quicker. The attorney tries their best to protect the client from time-consuming and costly legal battles.
How does No-fault insurance differ from At-fault insurance?
The process of seeking compensation differs extremely from the no-fault state and the at-fault state. In no-fault, as discussed above, each driver’s insurance company covers the entire expense of the policyholder irrespective of the driver at fault.
This means that if you get involved in an accident in a no-fault state, you need to approach your own insurance company rather than filing a lawsuit.
Now, in an at-fault state, the driver who is responsible for the accident needs to pay the damage coverage, and the insurance company covers the medical bills and injuries payment.
The process at an at-fault state usually takes longer than that at no-fault because the insurance company has to determine the driver at fault.
When you opt for a car accident lawyer, they investigate the root cause of the accident and find out who was at fault. This speeds up the process of insurance claims.
Now, other cases when you need a car accident lawyer are:
To file an insurance claim:
Well, we all know not all losses or injuries are visible. If a car accident causes you a serious injury like Whiplash, it may take a few days for the body to show symptoms.
In such cases, it is best to hire an attorney who assesses the losses and expenses and helps you cover the same in your insurance policy.
To file a personal injury lawsuit:
A minor fender bender may just leave a scratch on the car or your body. And if a collision happens between you and an uninsured motorist, the policy may not cover the losses.
In such cases, you opt to acquire the remainder by filing a personal injury lawsuit. And if the settlement offered by this insurance company doesn’t satisfy your losses, you need a car accident lawyer to help you file a strong lawsuit.
However, filing a personal injury lawsuit is no joke, you need to justify that the accident has caused you some real economic and non-economic losses.
Justifying who was at fault might be difficult for you, but not for the lawyer. This is why hiring a car accident lawyer is the best choice.
Concluding the above points!
A car accident attorney knows how to handle the aftermath of the accident. You should be hiring a lawyer,
- If you have suffered injuries during a car accident;
- If you are in a no-fault state, and the other driver needs to be held responsible for covering damages;
- If you are offered a settlement much beyond your expectations, and you want higher reimbursement for damages.
- If your family member dies in the accident;
- If the other party involved wants to settle the accident legally;
- If the insurance company neglects your loss or fails to identify the pain/suffering from the accident and estimates a lower settlement.
For all of the above cases, hiring an attorney works best in your favor. They possess knowledge of all potential damages that may happen during an accident and identify various circumstances for your compensation eligibility.
Conclusion:
Experienced lawyers will help you establish a strong case without wasting much of your time doing paperwork and other legal procedures. A car accident lawyer simplifies a complicated lawsuit and increases your chances of winning the case. They will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the challenges that you might face during the car accident claim procedure.
