Getting into an accident is one of the scariest experiences that most of us can imagine. Many of us do not know what steps to take after an accident. We may scramble to get the medical treatment we need, the days off work we require, and the mental health support that we may need after experiencing a traumatic event. With all the scrambling, we may not know if we need legal support. The last question that must be answered is: when should I get a lawyer?
How Can an Attorney Help Me After an Accident?
If you have never been in an accident before, you may not realize how difficult getting the compensation that you need to recover after an accident is. Big insurance companies are known to attempt to limit or eliminate the money paid to accident victims. Insurance adjusters have a goal to protect the company’s bottom line. Therefore, insurance adjusters may lowball you or deny your claim altogether. An unrepresented accident victim is particularly vulnerable to these schemes. You should contact an accident attorney immediately following an accident and certainly before speaking to an insurance company.
In addition to representing your interests to insurance companies, an accident attorney can help guide you through a lawsuit. If negotiations with the insurance company do not render a satisfactory settlement amount, you may want to file a lawsuit and let the court decide about compensation. If that is necessary, you will need an attorney to assist you throughout the litigation. An attorney can help you in the following ways:
- Ensuring that all procedural rules are followed. Each state has specific rules that must be followed for the case to continue. One example is the statute of limitations, which is a rule that gives a deadline for a lawsuit to be filed. If the statute of limitations is not complied with, then the case can be dismissed. An accident attorney is aware of all such rules and can ensure that they are followed.
- Hiring the correct experts to speak about your injuries. Accident attorneys often have trusted medical experts that they routinely work with that are used to giving their opinions on the severity of injuries.
- Completing discovery and complying with deadlines throughout the life of the lawsuit. Discovery is a fact-finding phase of a lawsuit. There are rules about deadlines for responses and there are rules about what information must be provided and what each party can ask about. An attorney will know what questions can be objected to. Without an attorney, you may be giving up too much information to the opposing side.
- An attorney can help present your case at trial. It may seem like an easy task on television but preparing for and presenting a case at trial is a skill. You need an attorney to help you present your case in the best light available.
If you have been in an accident, you should contact an OC car accident attorney immediately. An attorney can help you understand and protect your rights. Contact an experienced accident attorney today.
