There are five reasons why you need a car accident lawyer. A car accident lawyer provides you with legal insight into your rights, minimizes insurance company actions against you, and builds your case to the highest possible value.
Consider the following common reasons why you need a Charlottesville car accident lawyer if you are the victim.
1. Serious Injuries Mean Significant Recoveries
Victims of accidents who have serious injuries will face the need for ongoing medical support and care. This drives up the value of your claim. With an attorney, you know what your losses are and can seek fair compensation for them. Serious injuries may include:
- Burns and disfigurement
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash
- Lacerations and open wounds
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
Your attorney will help you obtain the medical care you need to heal as fully as possible. Additionally, with these injuries, your attorney will help you obtain medical documentation and evidence you need with the help of experts to demonstrate the full extent of your losses.
Medical expert testimony can help to substantially build confidence in the losses you suffered and demonstrate your right to fair compensation.
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call (434) 817-3100
2. Reason Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer: Insurance Company Aggression
Insurance companies in many car accidents will take numerous steps to minimize the amount of money they pay victims. As a profit-based company, the insurance company’s objective is to demonstrate that you do not require or legally deserve the compensation you are requesting. Insurance companies may take any of the following steps to do this:
- Shift blame from their client to you, minimizing your right to seek full compensation
- Deny or delay claims to minimize the amount of compensation paid and to push you behind the state’s statute of limitations
- Specifically state that your injuries are from pre-existing conditions
- Mislead you into the need to settle your claim immediately for their offer, or miss out on your opportunity
- Tell you not to hire an attorney because there is no additional value to your case
If these are experiences you are having now, seek the help of an attorney. Your car accident lawyer will step in and handle all interactions with and negotiations through the insurance company for you.
This minimizes the risk that you make a statement that jeopardizes your case or provide too much information to the insurance company beyond what they need to know. Speak with a Charlottesville personal injury lawyer now.
3. Legal Disputes Exist
Many car accidents are not simple and straightforward matters, which is why you need a car accident lawyer. There are various ways for them to become complicated, including disputes over who is liable for the accident. Your car accident lawyer will work with you to gather evidence to demonstrate who is at fault, that you are not at fault, and that someone else owes you compensation.
In certain types of car accidents, legal disputes may arise when both parties are at least partially at fault. For example, in Virginia, the state follows a contributory negligence law, which means that if you are found even 1% at fault, you are unable to recover any damages from the accident. This very strict and limiting rule is often the backbone of the insurance company’s strategies for reducing compensation paid to you.
Alternatively, many accidents involve multiple parties, and in those situations, victims have the right to seek damages against all at-fault parties (as long as they are not one of them). Your attorney will work to determine who is at fault in your case, including third parties that may not be obvious to blame. This extends your right to seek compensation.
4. Maximizing Compensation Recovery
Another reason why you need a car accident lawyer is to maximize your compensation recovery. Though every situation is vastly different, your lawyer knows what your losses are based on their experience and ability to investigate the claim and case. If you do not present losses to the insurance company of the at-fault party, they will not pay you for them.
A car accident lawyer will look at all implications of this accident on your current and future needs, including your physical and emotional losses, as well as your financial needs. Your lawyer will also gather evidence to support those decisions, making it more challenging for the insurance company to reduce those costs.
Once your claim is complete and filed, your lawyer then works with the insurance company to answer questions and maintain the value of your case. In some situations, they may negotiate a lower rate of recovery if necessary. Their ability to negotiate in a robust fashion helps to protect your right to compensation. A Charlottesville distracted driving accident lawyer can be of assistance.
5. The Legal Need to Go to Court
Most personal injury settlements are settled outside of court. This occurs when the insurance company and the victim come to an agreement over the losses owed, and the insurance company pays those losses. However, there are many times when this does not happen.
The insurance company may not believe the losses are accurate, may blame you for the incident, or may dispute your health and well-being. This leads to denials and delays in your case. Your car accident lawyer will push the insurance company to settle as much as possible before filing a lawsuit.
Once filed, the lawsuit requires a discovery period, numerous additional steps, including depositions, and answering critical questions about care. If necessary, your lawyer will fight for you at trial, pushing for a judge and jury to award you fair compensation. Your lawyer’s experience as a trial attorney can prove to be vital in these situations.
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Working with an Attorney Costs You Nothing Out of Pocket
Another factor to keep in mind is that you can obtain a free consultation to learn how a lawyer will help you. Most attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay them only if you win your case and receive a settlement, making this an additional reason you need a car accident lawyer. Due to this factor, there is no cost to speak with a car accident lawyer from MartinWren, P.C., and have them fight for you, making it sensible to hire a legal team.
Call (434) 817-3100 or complete a Case Evaluation form
