When to Get an Attorney for a Car Accident
Get an attorney for a car accident as soon as you possibly can. If you don’t hire a lawyer right away, you risk missing the filing deadline for your case. Waiting can also compromise critical evidence, as video footage and other key pieces of your case may no longer be available.
A Tulsa car accident lawyer will take over your case as soon as you hire them. Your rights will be safe, and your case will move forward from the moment you retain your attorney. This will ensure you can give your recovery the attention it deserves.
Most Important Reasons to Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer ASAP
You should prioritize hiring a lawyer because:
- Insurance companies may try to undermine your claim(s): Never assume that insurance companies will act in your best interests. An insurance company benefits from paying as little as possible to car accident victims. One or more insurers may be actively trying to deprive you of the money you deserve, and a car accident lawyer will protect your rights.
- There are deadlines for filing car accident cases: Each state has a statute of limitations for filing car accident cases. Insurers may also have deadlines related to your claim. If you do not abide by these deadlines, you may lose negotiating leverage or even the ability to pursue compensation for accident-related damages.
- Evidence is not around forever: As mentioned, evidence related to your accident may have an expiration date. For instance, municipalities may only hold traffic camera footage for a short period. If you don’t hire your lawyer and allow them to investigate the car accident as quickly as possible, you may risk losing evidence that can benefit your case.
- You want to secure compensation and move on with your life: There is no reason to spend more time on your case than necessary. A lawyer won’t just resolve your case—they will resolve it as soon as possible.
There is also no benefit in waiting to hire an attorney. You must ensure that you are safe and cared for by qualified professionals. As soon as you get the opportunity, though, you should hire a car accident lawyer and allow them to fight for your financial recovery.
Your Lawyer Will Deal with Insurers (Who May Be Threatening Your Rights)
Insurance companies are massive institutions with immense resources, but they are looking to save every dollar they can. One of the clearest ways to save money is to convince car accident victims to accept less compensation than they deserve.
We are never surprised when auto insurance providers:
- Falsely accuse a car accident victim of causing a collision
- Claim that a victim’s accident-related injuries happened before the accident (rather than because of the accident)
- Argue that certain accident-related medical care is not necessary
- Value accident-related losses at less than their actual cost
- Offer lowball settlements (which can be tempting to cash-strapped accident victims)
- Cause unnecessary delays in a claim (which may be due to incompetence or done for strategic reasons)
- Work hard to pay the car accident victim less money than they deserve
As one of the most popular auto insurers, Geico prides itself on its financial strength, as do other auto insurance providers. It can, therefore, confuse you when an auto insurer seems like it is nickel and diming you after an accident. Insurance companies know that underpaying claims is a means of remaining profitable, so do not assume insurance companies will handle your claim in good faith.
Allow an experienced car accident attorney to deal with insurers and every other detail of your case.
How Do I Choose a Car Accident Lawyer?
It is not easy to find the lawyer who is most qualified to handle your case. You can conduct online searches, ask friends and family about lawyers they have used, or use any other search method you think can bring results.
As you evaluate different law firms and attorneys, consider:
Whether the Law Firm Features
While many personal injury firms handle car accident cases, you should find a firm that features car accident cases prominently among its practice areas. If a firm does not make it clear that car accident victims are a priority, you may keep looking.
How Long the Firm Has Served Clients
Experience can set one law firm apart from the next.
Experience allows a car accident lawyer to:
- Have experience negotiating many settlements with many different auto insurers
- Have trial experience
- Understand the common challenges that emerge during car accident cases
- Know a variety of different legal strategies for car accident cases
- Handle any expected or unexpected demands that occur during your case
Consider both the experience of your attorney and the duration that a firm has been practicing. Firms with a long track record of success may have the culture, lawyers, and financial resources you seek.
Whether the Firm Has an Office Near You
The closer a law firm’s office is to you, the better. That said, capable firms are willing to travel to meet with car accident victims. A law firm’s proximity to you is not the only criteria to consider, but it is one factor to evaluate
What Results the Firm Has (or Hasn’t) Achieved in Cases Like Yours
In addition to client satisfaction, law firms gauge their success based on whether their client receives a fair financial recovery.
Consider a law firm’s:
- Largest financial recoveries, as these indicate how the firm performs in high-stakes cases
- Results in car accident cases, as this will show the firm’s success (or lack thereof) in cases similar to yours
- History of case results and long track record of successful recoveries, which is a strong sign of a law firm’s capabilities
Results speak volumes about a car accident attorney and their firm, so consider them carefully.
What You Can Expect from Your Car Accident Attorney
Car accident attorneys often face cases involving hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in damages. Capable attorneys build the strongest case possible so their clients can receive all the compensation they deserve.
A winning car accident case generally requires a lawyer to:
Gather All Evidence That Can Help the Case
Every successful case has convincing evidence of negligence.
Such evidence may include:
- Eyewitness accounts of the accident
- The police report detailing the collision
- Video footage showing the accident
- An expert’s reconstruction of the collision
Your attorney will move quickly to secure evidence while it is available.
Detail Specific Instance of Negligence
As your attorney learns the facts of your accident, they will determine how someone’s negligence contributed to it. Whether that negligence is a motorist acting recklessly, a vehicle manufacturer endangering you, or any other hazardous behavior, your attorney will detail the negligence.
Document the Client’s Accident-Related Damages
Your attorney must paint a vivid picture of how your car accident has negatively affected you.
They will document:
- Economic damages (like vehicle repairs and lost income)
- Non-economic damages (like pain and suffering)
- Current damages
- Damages you will experience in the future
Car accident lawyers understand the many damages an auto accident can cause. Allow your lawyer and their network of experts to determine the precise value of your accident-related damages.
Convince the Insurance Company to Pay You Fairly
If your attorney does not negotiate a fair settlement with the insurer(s) that owes you compensation, they will discuss filing a lawsuit with you. Your attorney may need to take your case to court, in which case your law firm will lead your court case from start to finish.
Your Lawyer Will Value All of Your Accident-Related Damages
Attorneys must identify all of their clients’ accident-related damages, which can include:
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- Healthcare expenses: Often one of the most costly damages an auto accident victim suffers, healthcare costs can be a massive financial weight. A lawyer will calculate your current medical bills, account for future care needs, and demand fair compensation from liable parties.
- Medical equipment: Accident victims who suffer disabling injuries may need medical equipment. Depending on the equipment you need, the cost may be multiple thousands of dollars.
- Lost income: Car accident victims often need time to heal, which means missing work. In many cases, injuries are severe enough to prevent the accident victim from ever working again. Your attorney will account for lost income and lost potential income (like bonuses) resulting from your accident.
- Diminished earning power: If you resume working but can’t earn the amount you did before the accident (perhaps because you changed jobs or roles), your attorney will determine the loss of earning power. They will factor this figure into your case.
- Pain and suffering: If you suffer physical pain, emotional anguish, psychological distress, and similar damages that don’t have an obvious financial value, they may qualify as pain and suffering. Your attorney will certainly calculate the value of your pain and suffering and include that value in your claim or lawsuit.
Your lawyer will first engage in settlement negotiations to secure your financial recovery. Most car accident cases settle, and your lawyer will work to hold liable parties accountable for the harm they have caused you. However, your attorney should go to trial if necessary.
Top Reasons to Hire a Lawyer Instead of Handling Your Own Case
Though many reasons exist to hire a car accident lawyer, some stand out. Let an auto accident lawyer fight for your financial recovery because:
Contingency Fees Protect You
The typical car accident lawyer uses contingency fees.
These fees can benefit both the client and the law firm, as they:
- Prevent the client from having to pay any upfront cost for a lawyer
- Require the firm to pay the financial cost of completing the claim or lawsuit
- Ensure the law firm receives a percentage of any financial recovery they obtain for the client (the fee comes from the settlement or verdict)
Contingency fees allow any car accident victim in any financial circumstance to hire an attorney. With this fee structure, your attorney will be financially incentivized to obtain compensation for you.
Over-Exertion Could Harm Your Recovery
Every accident victim must focus on their health.
If you are dealing with an insurance claim in the wake of your auto collision, you may:
- Be physically overrun by the demands of the claims process
- Be cognitively, psychologically, and emotionally overwhelmed by the demands of your case
- Have to spend valuable time learning about the claims process and handling every detail of your case
The time and effort you might spend on your case is time and effort is better focused on your recovery.
An Attorney May Be Better Prepared to Lead Your Case Than You Are
You suffered an injury. An attorney will not be. You may be unfamiliar with insurance claims and lawsuits. Your attorney will be very familiar with both. You may face great financial uncertainty. Your attorney will have their law firm’s complete financial backing.
As you can see, a car accident lawyer may be in a much more advantageous position to handle your case than you are. It is commendable to ask for help after an auto accident, and an attorney is ready to fight for your financial recovery today.
Insurance Companies Have Boundless Resources to Fight Your Claim
Never underestimate the experience or resources that insurance companies bring to the table. If the insurance company responsible for covering your losses chooses to act in bad faith, it can make your claim a headache.
When you hire an attorney, you:
- Can focus on your recovery in relative peace
- Allow your lawyer to worry about the details of your claim
- Gain financial resources that can help even the field with insurers
- Have the credible possibility of filing a lawsuit because you have a lawyer representing you
You’ve been through enough, so let a car accident lawyer worry about securing the money you deserve.
Research and call lawyers in your area to find the right firm for your case. You will not regret taking action sooner than later.
