Car accidents are traumatizing, especially if they cause injury. If you've been in a car accident and sustained injuries as a result, you may be considering hiring an attorney. While the insurance agency may be willing to offer a settlement, an attorney may be your only chance to get the fair payout you deserve to make you whole again after an accident. Check out these four reasons you should hire an accident attorney after a car accident.
To Do the Talking for You
Regardless of how severe the accident was or how many injuries you sustained, the insurance carriers will want to speak with you to hear your version of events. While it's typically fine to speak with your own insurance agency, especially if you didn't cause the accident, speaking with the other driver's insurance carrier may prove more stressful. They are looking for any mistake or flaw in your story to reduce your settlement. After a car accident, this is extra stress you don't need. Instead, get yourself an attorney who will talk for you. Your attorney will also talk to anyone else regarding the accident, such as witnesses. Plus, your attorney knows what questions are needed to get the most valuable information for your case.
To Fight for Your Best Interests
The insurance carrier isn't your friend, but they will act like your friend to get you to agree to an unfair settlement. They may even try to trick you into signing paperwork or rush you into agreeing to certain terms. This is because they don't have your best interests at heart. Their interest resides with the insurance carrier. An accident attorney, however, fights for you, and in many cases, they only get paid if you win your settlement. An attorney will start by collecting all the facts of the accident. Next, they will determine the extent of your injuries to determine lost income, medical expenses, etc. All the relevant information is included in a demand letter the attorney sends the insurance carrier, requesting the fair settlement.
To Prove the Extent of Your Injuries
Many accidents heal, leaving no sign you were ever involved in an accident. Unfortunately, car accidents can cause major trauma, both physically and emotionally. In some cases, physical injuries lead to long-term pain or physical defects. Injuries and the accident alone may cause emotional problems, such as mood disorders like depression and anxiety. These types of injuries are referred to as pain and suffering, and they are difficult to prove unless you have an attorney who can prove the extent of your injuries. Physical pain and suffering usually involve permanent or long-term physical changes, such as partial paralysis after a broken back heals. Emotional pain and suffering may be a result of a physical change, such as feeling depressed because you are partially paralyzed, but it can also include other changes related to the accident, such as loss of interest in old activities, loss of enjoyment of life, etc.
To Help Guide You Toward a Fair Settlement
Finally, your attorney is your guard as you seek a fair settlement because there are many mistakes you can make that affect your settlement. For starters, regardless of whether you end up going to court or not, your attorney will prepare you for what to expect, including the types of questions you will be asked, so you can prepare well-crafted but honest answers. This is important because the threat of court is what often gets insurance carriers to agree to a fair settlement, but without an attorney, the insurance carrier won't consider your threat valid.
If you've gotten into an auto accident, the first step should be seeking medical help, but once you are ready to start seeking a fair settlement, you need to contact an accident attorney. With an accident attorney in your corner, the insurance carrier is more likely to take you seriously. For more information regarding auto accidents, contact an attorney at a law firm like Terrel DoRemus & Associates in your area today.
