When and Why Do You Require a Car Accident Lawyer?
When You Will Be Needing to Contact a Lawyer:
Having to be involved in an auto vehicle accident can be a nerve-wracking experience. After the damage has been done, the first person you should be summoning is a doctor. Even if you are seemingly okay and may find yourself feeling physically fit, you should still visit the hospital for a check-up for any injuries that may otherwise go unnoticed or a concussion to the head.
For insurance purposes, safe-keep your hospital visit bills, any prescriptions, and doctor’s notes. Since you could be asked for proof at any point, you can use them as evidence of your expenses that resulted from your accident.
On the note of securing proof, if you can do so, make sure you take pictures. Document every scar on your body, every dent in your car, and any signals or signs the other driver ignored that could have contributed to the accident to build your case.
A necessary reminder is to never indulge in conversation about what happened or who is at fault at the scene. Only seek information. Give each other contact details with the other person and any bystanders who witnessed the damage.
How Can You Assess Whether You Are Liable for A Lawyer’s Help?
Involving legalities into the mix can be taxing on your time and possibly cost you additional money, e.g. traveling to the clinic, so some people may question whether it is essential to contact an auto accident lawyer or if they can take care of it themselves. Here’s when you are required to call a lawyer: If you were physically hurt during the incident or as a result of it, your Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer could help you move forward with your legal decisions, especially to avoid any twisting of facts that may plant you at fault.
While meeting with the insurance agent, if you find yourself moving around in circles, you should involve your lawyer to be present and sort out details with the insurance agent, so you are less likely to compromise on negotiations. Your lawyer can advise you beforehand on what to avoid talking about so it can’t be used against you in the future at your disadvantage.
The insurance agent may not even bother to investigate the case, delay the claim, or even give you any justification for denying the claim. A lawyer may be able to help you through these issues, and if you contacted them before talking to the insurance agent, they could help you avoid these issues altogether so you can get the justice that you are liable for.
Why you should not waste any time before contacting your lawyer?
It is in your best interest to always assume the other person will be doing the same; They could bring a lawyer before you get the chance to and get in touch with their insurance company. This will give them a starting advantage. The insurance company may contact you while you are ill-prepared to ask for you to issue your statement. You may say something that could incriminate you in the scene, which is more likely to happen than you think because the insurance agent has no intentions to work in your favour. The insurance agent won’t be bothered by how the incident affected you; their only aim would be for you to walk with the lowest possible settlement if any. On the other hand, a lawyer will fight for what you deserve and make sure you are given appropriate compensation.
Since the documentation of the accident is substantial evidence, you will need to submit your proof in a timely fashion, or it will no longer be accepted after a particular time has passed. Your injuries will no longer hold weight. Although it may look like you can gather evidence quickly, especially when some states give you a two years’ time – which may seem long enough; time flies by fast when legal proceedings are involved. There is so much information to gather, so many errands to run, and of course, injuries to heal and hospital visits to end. Contacting a lawyer in time would help you move forward more efficiently as they will take care of filing for insurance claims.
Give your Lawyer the proper Information
Once you have summoned your lawyer, you will have to give him all the information you have to the best of your knowledge about the unfortunate accident. These would include – but will not be limited to – the events of what happened leading up to the scene, including what you did and what the other party involved did, the contact information of the others involved and documents of a police report and proof of your need for medical attention. The lawyer will then assess how much you deserve to be financially compensated for your physical injuries, discuss it with the insurance company, and begin the trial.