Car accidents are complicated, and the legal process can be complex and intimidating. Seek legal guidance as soon as possible to navigate it successfully.
Evidence can fade over time, and insurance companies often employ strategies to discount claims. A lawyer can help gather documentation and calculate damages, including future medical treatment expenses and lost wages.
- You Have a Significant Injury
Depending on the severity and nature of your injuries and losses, having an attorney on your side could be worthwhile. An experienced car accident attorney understands what damages are worth and will fight hard for a settlement that covers them all – this includes future medical bills, lost income potential, home modification costs, and more if your injuries are permanent.
An attorney may also help when an at-fault driver or their insurance provider refuses to cooperate, trying to discredit your claim by taking your words out of context or reducing what you owe. An experienced car accident lawyer is skilled in combatting such tactics and will fight hard on your behalf to get you the compensation you’re due.
If your collision was caused by a government entity or public employee, having legal representation can help ensure you get fair compensation. As these cases often require more time and resources than other claims, hiring an attorney with experience handling these cases will protect your rights more effectively.
When interviewing potential attorneys, inquire about their experience in dealing with cases similar to your own and how they typically approach it. This will give you an indication of whether they would be appropriate for your situation. Furthermore, inquire about their fees; inquire whether they charge an hourly rate, require a retainer fee, or work on a contingency basis; check whether their office staff can support your case and how organized their office may be.
- You Have a Serious Injury
Millions of people each year are involved in car accidents. While some of these crashes involve minor fender benders with minor damage to both cars, others result in severe injuries and significant financial losses for accident victims – medical bills, property damage costs, missed workday income due to missed days off, pain and suffering compensation and more can all add up fast if victims do not seek legal advice and representation right away. Therefore, victims must hire a car accident attorney familiar with New York’s complex insurance laws for representation during these disputes.
First and foremost, if your injury seems severe enough to warrant legal representation, hiring a car accident lawyer should be your next step. Even “minor” injuries can lead to expensive treatments, surgeries, and permanent impairment. Insurance companies tend to underestimate these kinds of injuries, so enlisting a car accident attorney’s services will allow you to demonstrate their total costs.
When you experience serious injuries, the other driver’s insurance company may try to minimize your claim through various tactics, such as twisting words out of context and offering low settlements. Your car accident lawyer will communicate directly with the insurer on your behalf from day one so their tactics do not jeopardize your case.
An auto accident lawyer can also assist in choosing the appropriate lawsuit for your situation, whether personal injury, wrongful death, or property damage claims. When choosing your attorney, it is essential to find out their experience handling similar claims and fee structures: some charge an hourly rate, while others require retainers or work on contingency agreements.
- You Have Multiple Injuries
Imagine yourself waiting at a red light after an exhausting day when, suddenly, another car speeds into your lane without warning and causes minor damage to your car. Although no immediate pain was felt at the scene of the accident and no substantial injuries manifested after that, many injuries like whiplash don’t show symptoms for days or even weeks after an incident has taken place; thus, police must be called, and medical treatment be sought at once as this will create official documentation of what occurred and any subsequent losses due to injuries related damages claims that might later arise due to injuries related to those involved parties involved.
An experienced car accident attorney can help you assess the full scope of your injuries and the corresponding compensation you may be eligible to claim, such as medical bills, lost income, property damage compensation, and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering compensation. Our tenacious lawyers know how to negotiate with insurance companies effectively to not settle for an inadequate offer that won’t cover all your losses.
A great car accident attorney should possess the expertise and resources to quickly gather evidence following an accident, which is particularly critical since much of it could be taken away by those responsible for cleaning up after themselves. An attorney could also identify evidence, such as skid marks or debris left by other vehicles, that proves another driver was at fault.
Be quick: you only have two years from the time of an accident in New York to file a car accident claim! Hiring an experienced lawyer as soon as possible gives them their best chance at recovering the compensation due to you for losses suffered in an auto collision.
- You Have a Complex Case
An auto accident lawyer can also be invaluable in other aspects of your case besides identifying fault and calculating compensation. A knowledgeable attorney can ensure you get all the money owed to you from property damage, medical expenses, future losses, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering – which are difficult to calculate accurately. Your attorney will also identify all parties responsible for causing the crash, including more than just drivers; for example, in an accident involving commercial trucks, all parties responsible (driver, company/manufacturer/manufacturer, etc.) must contribute financially toward the compensation claims.
An experienced attorney can also protect you against insurance companies that try to take advantage of accident victims by delaying proceedings in hopes that victims give up and settle for less. They do this by initiating communication between themselves and the insurance provider from day one; an experienced lawyer can prevent this behavior by keeping communications flowing freely between both sides.
If you need guidance in selecting an attorney, speak to friends and family who have used one before; they will share details on their experience and how the firm or individual assisted with their case while also suggesting which firm or attorney they would recommend again.
When selecting an attorney to represent you in court proceedings, arrange a phone or in-office consultation meeting. Bring any relevant paperwork, such as police reports and insurer paperwork, so your attorney can better understand your situation and advise whether they believe your claim has merit.
- You Have a Serious Injury
Accident victims often endure severe injuries and losses as a result of car accidents, such as medical bills, property damage costs, lost wages, and emotional trauma. A skilled car accident lawyer knows how to assess these damages to obtain fair compensation on behalf of his client.
Immediately following an injury-inducing car crash, it is wise to contact a car accident attorney; it would be prudent to consult an EMT or physician and address any immediate needs before calling an attorney.
An accident lawyer can help victims gather evidence such as witness testimony, medical records, police reports, and other documents to assess their injuries better.
Experienced car accident lawyers understand how to file lawsuits, collect evidence, draft demand letters, and negotiate with insurance companies – ensuring a level playing field against large insurers with access to substantial funds and multiple legal representatives.
Finally, an experienced car accident attorney will be able to evaluate any offers made by insurance companies and provide advice if negotiations with them do not proceed in good faith. They can also offer guidance regarding other strategies should negotiations fail to happen in good faith.
The threat of litigation may be enough to get an insurer to negotiate. If you have been involved in an accident and want to hire an attorney, contact us now for a free consultation.