Motor vehicle accidents have become quite common on our roads in the past few years. And if you have recently suffered property or physical damage in the aftermath of an auto accident, you must be wondering how an attorney can be of assistance to you. Additionally, you may also be at crossroads on whether to engage a lawyer or attempt to deal with auto insurance companies on your own. Well, here is a quick primer on some of the areas that you will want a lawyer to help out with after an accident.
1. Obtaining the Requisite Evidence of Liability
Engaging a good lawyer after an accident will go a long way in gathering all the necessary evidence required for you to prove your case ( liability ) in a car accident claim. In fact, car accident lawyers, such as Stewart Guss, believe that most drivers simply take crude photos of the accident scene without necessarily paying the right attention to details that could help prove one’s case. You need an experienced car accident attorney can comb through the scene to unearth key evidence of liability that you might have missed. A good law firm attorney will also go a step further to ensure that you have filled all the obligatory accident reports in due time for you to qualify for a claim.
2. Obtaining the Requisite Evidence of Damages
This is particularly important if you have suffered significant personal injuries or damages in connection with the accident. Contrary to what the average joe knows, it is vital to obtain all documentations that are related to the damages or injuries sustained. However, it is not always easy to obtain these documents in good time for a claim. And even if you do, the preliminary medical records might not sufficient to prove that your injuries were directly caused by the defendant’s negligence. That’s the reason it is advisable to contract the services of an experienced lawyer who will request the doctor to file a special letter/documentation that gives their professional opinion that your injuries resulted specifically from the accident and that you might be disabled for a while because of your hospitalization.
3. Negotiating Your Claim Settlement
Last, but not least, your car accident attorney will play a significant role in negotiating your settlement. Speaking of settling an auto accident case, a decent attorney is more skilled than you in negotiating for a handsome payoff. Negotiating with reluctant auto insurance companies is hard work, to the say the least. It calls for a mastery of unique skills required to work the case in such a way that you end up getting top dollar for your accident claim. Furthermore, a good personal injury attorney can quickly evaluate how much your accident claim case is worth and shield you from being short-changed by callous defense attorneys from the insurer’s side.
The Bottom Line
While some people might opt to gather documents and evidence themselves – especially for small-time accidents – the importance of hiring an accident attorney cannot be overstated. You will not only increase your chances of winning a claim but also ensure that you’re awarded a rightful amount.