Many car accident victims are overwhelmed after an accident and struggle to get medical treatment, cover expenses if they are out of work, and pay their bills. An experienced attorney can remove the stress and hassle by negotiating with insurance companies.
An attorney can help people recover the financial settlement they deserve for economic and non-economic damages. An attorney can also assist with property damage, statements or examinations, and evidence gathering. Contact Auto Accident Attorney Duluth now!
- Representation
The legal process of recovering damages following a car accident can be complex and overwhelming for anyone not well-versed in personal injury law. A good car accident attorney can take over the tasks involved in pursuing compensation, including meeting deadlines, filing paperwork correctly and on time, investigating and gathering evidence, and negotiating settlements. Additionally, attorneys can help their clients navigate complicated medical and insurance issues.
Lawyers are skilled negotiators who ensure their clients receive fair compensation for their losses. They are also able to evaluate the strength of a case and assess whether it is worth taking to trial. In fact, car accident victims who hire lawyers often end up with higher settlements than those who go it alone.
A quality auto accident attorney will have a clear understanding of New York’s unique no-fault insurance laws, which can be difficult to navigate. They can also negotiate effectively with insurance companies, who are prone to undervaluing claims or trying to get unrepresented accident victims to accept low-ball settlement offers.
In building a claim for compensation, your lawyer will consider how your injuries have affected your life, both now and in the future. For example, they will factor in current and future medical treatment costs, loss of income due to your inability to work, and emotional impacts. They will also include damages for pain and suffering, which is not always included in insurance claims.
When choosing an auto accident attorney, you should look for a firm that has an established track record and reputation in the industry. You should also assess the lawyers’ network and connections, including their relationships with judges and other attorneys. In addition, you should be comfortable with the lawyers’ approach to cases and their level of experience handling a similar case to yours.
- Gather Evidence
Whether you’re filing an insurance claim or legal action, a successful car accident case requires solid evidence to prove fault and damages. This may include a variety of different types of documentation, such as medical records (from the initial diagnosis to ongoing treatment) and property damage reports, including receipts and repair estimates for your vehicle. Depending on the case, your lawyer may also utilize eyewitness testimonies and expert testimony to bolster your claim.
While the most important priority after a crash is ensuring everyone’s safety, it’s a good idea to start gathering any relevant evidence as soon as possible. This includes photographing the scene of the accident from multiple angles and capturing any visible injuries. Additionally, you should try to collect any skid marks left by either of the vehicles and any debris that was left at the scene. Ideally, you should get the contact information for any witnesses and ask them to come forward later, as their testimonies can serve as a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Witness statements are often taken seriously by insurance companies and can add credibility to your case. This is because these third-party testimonies are often more objective than the testimonies of those directly involved in the accident. Moreover, these witnesses can back up any physical or circumstantial evidence and offer perspectives that aren’t readily available from other sources.
Your lawyer will also need to document any incurred expenses related to the incident, such as medical bills, property damage, and lost wages. Having these documented will help you recover fair compensation for your losses. They’ll use these documents along with other evidence to calculate and accurately represent any financial damages that you should be entitled to receive.
- Insurance Issues
Insurance companies can be intimidating, especially in the aftermath of a car accident. An experienced attorney can help navigate these negotiations and protect you from being taken advantage of. They can also work to reduce lien amounts that health care providers and others may have on your claim. This can increase the amount of money that goes into your pocket.
In New York, as with other states, drivers are required to carry auto insurance. In cases of accidents, that insurance will cover certain medical expenses and lost wages, up to the policy limits. This is called a no-fault system. However, severe injuries will allow victims to step outside of the no-fault system and file a claim against the at-fault party for additional compensation.
A skilled NYC Car Accident Lawyer can review your available compensation options and help you recover the full amount owed to you. This can include compensation for medical bills, property damage, lost income, and pain and suffering. Pain and suffering are non-economic damages that compensate you for physical pain and emotional distress. They can be hard to quantify, but a skilled car accident attorney can help you develop a reasonable estimate based on the severity of your injuries and how they have affected your life.
Property damage covers costs to repair or replace your damaged vehicle, other personal property and sometimes even rental car expenses. It can also cover home repairs that will improve accessibility for a disability, or help you pay for services to perform tasks that you are no longer able to do yourself due to your injury (such as housekeeping or cooking). In some cases, you may be entitled to loss of consortium damages, which pays for the loss of companionship caused by an injury.
- Negotiation
Car accident attorneys are skilled negotiators and can secure a higher settlement for their clients. This is especially important for cases involving significant injuries, as these injuries typically involve high medical bills, rehabilitative costs, property damage, and lost wages. They can also estimate future damages, such as loss of life quality, to ensure that accident victims receive adequate compensation for their losses.
Insurance companies often try to pressure or trick injury victims into accepting a low initial settlement offer. This is because they know that most people will want to settle their claims quickly and move on. However, this early offer is likely to be an inaccurate representation of the true value of the claim. An experienced lawyer can review any initial offers and counter them accordingly to maximize the amount of compensation awarded.
In order to accurately evaluate their client’s losses, an experienced attorney will have access to all relevant medical records and bills. These can include bills for emergency care, treatment, rehabilitative services, and ongoing maintenance and care. It is important that all injuries be documented and treated in a timely manner to ensure that the full extent of a victim’s damages are covered.
Insurance companies take personal injury claims more seriously when an injured person has a lawyer. They are more likely to take the time to carefully review a case and consider all possible options before offering a reasonable settlement. In addition, an experienced lawyer will have a solid track record and reputation, as well as a network of professional connections to draw on when negotiating or litigating a case. As a result, the best Manhattan Car Accident Attorneys are often able to get more money for their clients’ claims than unrepresented victims.
- Trial
Although the vast majority of car accident injury cases are settled out of court, if the at-fault party or their insurance company refuses to pay a fair amount, a trial may be necessary. During this process, your attorney will put the facts of your case before a judge or jury using evidence from your car crash. They will also show the extent of your injuries and explain how they have impacted your life.
The defendant will have the opportunity to present a defense and argue why they should not be liable for your damages. Once both sides present their case, your lawyer will cross-examine witnesses that have been called by the defendant’s lawyers. This is an intimidating part of the process, but your lawyer will be prepared to guide you through it.
After both sides have presented their case, your lawyer will prepare a document called a Bill of Particulars which sets out all the damages you are entitled to recover, including medical bills, lost income, property damage and emotional distress. This will be sent to the at-fault party or their insurance companies.
Toward the end of the trial, your lawyer will make closing arguments. These are similar to opening statements, but provide a final opportunity to recap all of the evidence that has been presented and prove your case in accordance with prevailing law.
The jury will then retreat to a private room and deliberate. They will decide whether they have enough proof to conclude that the defendant was liable for the car accident and if so, how much you are entitled to in damages. If the jury finds for the plaintiff, they will award you your damages.
