​What Can a Lawyer Do for You After a Car Accident?

Thousands of automobile accidents occur in the United States every year, leaving many to deal with catastrophic harm, debilitating pain, and many other unknowns that can forever impact their lives and futures. Yet, if this collision resulted from another person’s intentional, negligent, or reckless actions, you do not have to deal with these devastating outcomes on your own. Rather, you may be able to obtain compensation for the harm and losses you suffered.

However, many car accident victims hesitate to hire a lawyer after these tragic accidents because they do not fully understand the benefits of a car accident accident attorney or how these legal professionals can help them after this car crash. For these reasons, in the below post, we will go over in detail what a lawyer can do for you after a car accident and how they can help you fight for the monetary damages you deserve.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Determine if You Have a Viable Legal Claim

Before you can pursue legal action following a motor vehicle accident, you first need to determine if you have a viable legal claim. Thankfully, you do not have to figure this out on your own.

Instead, when you work with a lawyer after your accident, these legal professionals can review what happened, figure out who was at fault for your crash, determine the extent of your damages, and conclude if you have a legal case you can pursue. From there, these attorneys can also review your legal options and help you figure out what course of action you should take.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Obtain Evidence To Help Prove Your Case

Obtaining evidence after a motor vehicle accident can be critical for your case, helping you validate what happened and who was at fault. However, depending on the collision’s severity, getting this evidence yourself may not be possible.

Fortunately, when you retain an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer to take on your legal case, you will not have to stress about this issue.

Rather, these legal professionals can promptly get to work investigating your collision, talking to people from the accident scene, and obtaining the following evidence to help your legal claim:

• Photos of the accident, including pictures of the vehicles involved, their placement on the road, the conditions at the time of the accident, and the damage to these vehicles
• Documentation regarding your injuries and the severity of these injuries, including medical reports
• Police report
• Witness statements, which can be used to help provide further details regarding what happened as well as help collaborate your legal claim
• Video footage of what happened
• Any other documents that can help validate your claim

A Car Accident Attorney Can Evaluate the Evidence Collected and Bring in Experts

After a lawyer collects the necessary evidence, they can evaluate it and use additional resources to help them build the strongest legal case possible. For instance, many experienced car accident attorneys hire medical experts to validate the seriousness of the injuries that resulted and accident reconstructionist specialists to help recreate the accident scene to prove what happened and who was at fault for the accident.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Determine What Types of Damages You Can Pursue

Depending on your car accident and the circumstances involved, you may be entitled to various types of damages, including both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

These damages refer to payment for the tangible losses that result from an accident. This means these losses are usually readily documented and easily calculated.

They generally include:

• Past and current medical expenses: These expenses are typically related to doctor visits, surgeries, medications, emergency services, ambulance rides, hospital stays, and other types of medical treatments resulting from the accident.
• Future medical fees: This includes bills that you could reasonably anticipate incurring because of the accident.
• Lost wages: This refers to the days you missed from work because you were obtaining medical care or were recovering from your injuries.
• Reduced earning capacity: If you can no longer work following the accident due to the harm you endured, and you suffer a decrease in income because of this, or can no longer seek the career you wanted, you can pursue these damages.
• Property loss: If your motor vehicle was damaged in the accident, you can go after costs related to the replacement or repair of your motor vehicle.
• Other losses: You can also pursue compensation for other losses, including domestic replacement services, at-home nursing care, rehabilitative therapy, and additional out-of-pocket costs.

Non-Economic Damages

These damages refer to payment for the personal losses that follow an accident.

They generally include losses that do not come with a receipt, such as:

• Pain and suffering: These losses refer to the emotional and physical distress individuals experience after a car accident.
• Reduced quality of life: If a victim of an accident cannot take care of themselves, enjoy activities as they did before the crash, or live life as they have previously, they can pursue compensation for their reduced quality of life losses.
• Disability: This loss refers to an injury that temporarily or permanently limits a person’s ability to use the affected area. Some of the more common injuries leading to a disability include trauma to the brain, internal organs, back, limbs, and senses.
• Other losses: In addition, you can also pursue money for loss of companionship, loss of consortium, humiliation, loss of reputation, and limb loss after a car accident.

Working with an experienced car accident attorney after your motor vehicle crash can help you determine which of these economic and non-economic damages may apply to your case. Plus, these lawyers can also prepare the strongest case on your behalf and try to secure all the damages you need.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Help You Fight for Maximum Compensation

Other than determining what types of damages you can pursue, a knowledgeable car accident lawyer can also help you secure compensation to cover all the expenses related to the losses and injuries you sustained.

However, before going after this money, the attorney needs first to determine the value of your claim, which requires going over certain types of elements and factors that can impact your case, including:

• The severity and type of injuries you sustained
• The total amount of medical expenses you sustained
• The ability to work following the accident
• Your lost wages and the ability to work in the future
• The extent of your property damages
• The ability to take part in everyday activities
• The strength of your case, including the credibility of the evidence and witnesses you have
• The willingness of the other party to settle your case for a fair amount

An experienced car accident lawyer can review each of these factors, determine which ones can impact your case, and prepare solid legal arguments in response to them, fighting for the financial recovery you deserve.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Determine How Much Time You Have to File Your Legal Claim

When filing a legal claim following a car accident, it is important to realize that you do not have unlimited time. The statute of limitations restricts the time victims of a car crash have to file a lawsuit. However, this exact time period will depend on the cause of action, the state where the incident occurred, and whether any exceptions apply to the rule. Yet, if individuals do not submit their claim before the deadline, the court can stop them from obtaining the monetary damages they are entitled to.

Thankfully, when you work with an experienced legal professional, these attorneys can determine not only by when you need to file your legal claim, but they can also submit your legal documents to the proper court before the statute of limitations runs out.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Deal With the Insurance Companies

Although many car accident victims believe that the insurance company wants to help them get the money they need following an automobile crash, this is not how these insurers operate. Insurance companies are businesses that want to make a profit.

Yet, the only way they can make money is by paying out less on your claim. As a result, these insurance companies and their representatives will try to find anything they can to use against you, including statements you make to them after the collision.

However, when you work with an experienced car accident attorney, these lawyers can prepare you when it comes to these insurance companies and what to expect from them. They can also handle all the communications with these companies, making sure you do not do something that can end up hurting your case and preventing you from securing the money you deserve.

A Car Accident Attorney Can Handle Settlement Negotiations

Another tactic the insurance company will try to stop you from obtaining all the money you need is offering you the least amount possible. These insurance companies know that after an accident, you need money to cover your losses and expenses, which is why they will offer you an incredibly meager settlement amount that barely covers any of your fees.

However, they hope that if they offer it quickly after your accident, you do not think twice about accepting this amount or checking with an attorney whether this settlement amount is fair to you.

That is why before making any decisions regarding settlement offers from the insurance company, consider first discussing the amount with a knowledgeable motor vehicle accident attorney who can verify whether this settlement amount is reasonable to you. If it is not, these attorneys can head back to the negotiation table and go after an amount that is fair to you.

A Car Accident Attorney Does Charge You Until You Win Your Case

Many people hesitate to hire a car accident lawyer after their motor vehicle accident because they worry about the legal expenses involved and that they will not be able to afford this lawyer.

However, what these people do not understand is that when you hire a car accident attorney, you will not have to pay these attorneys until they win your case. Car accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which is an arrangement where an attorney agrees that their payment for their legal fees will hinge on the successful outcome of the case. Or in other words, if you retain a motor vehicle accident attorney following your car accident, you will not have to pay them until they obtain a settlement award or a court verdict on your behalf.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today and Find out How They Can Help You

If you or a loved one suffered harm in a motor vehicle accident, reach out to an experienced car accident attorney for a free consultation today and learn how these lawyers can fight for you and the justice you deserve.

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