When you get involved in a car accident and get injured in the process, whether or not your insurance covers your medical expenses is a problem you face. Also, even when your insurance does cover your medical bills, you may have to go back and forth with your insurance companies to ensure that they provide the coverage required to foot your medical bills. This is a reason why it is important to have a car accident attorney. A lawyer may represent you and help you state a case that may get you the insurance coverage you need to pay for your medical expenses and cover other financial losses.
Who Is a Car Accident Lawyer?
Car accident lawyers are lawyers who are experienced in car accident cases and laws. Car accident cases fall under the laws of personal injury, and car accident lawyers are a type of personal injury lawyer whose area of specialty is car accidents.
What Can You Expect From a Car Accident Attorney to Possess?
Personal injury covers different types of injury cases, which include, but are not limited to, DUI cases, wrongful death, distracted driving cases, car accidents, et cetera. Most car accident lawyers, and, by extension, personal injury lawyers, prefer to settle cases outside of the court. However, it is in your best interest to have a lawyer with a track record of winning cases in court at trial because your case may get to trial.
Do Car Accident Attorneys Get Commissions?
Hiring a lawyer may be expensive, especially if your case is complicated. Also, some firms are more significant than others, and some lawyers possess more experience. These factors contribute to how expensive a lawyer may be. One of the best routes to take and the factor to consider when trying to hire an attorney for your car accident case is to check if the lawyer only gets paid after they have won your compensation. It is a concept called "contingency". It means that a lawyer works with you and represents you and only gets paid when/after they have gotten a settlement or compensation for you. After getting your compensation, your attorney may take a certain percentage from the awarded compensation. This commission percentage varies based on the lawyer. However, car accident lawyers generally take around thirty-three percent of the compensation they win for you. This percentage may increase if your case goes to trial and they win you a settlement or compensation. When filing for a civil suit for a car accident case, the victim of the car accident charge funds the expert witness charge and filing fees.
Should You Look into How Your Attorney Communicates?
Communication is important. If you have an attorney, they will likely have to pass along vital information and tell you what they have evaluated concerning your situation. Further, you will have many questions to ask them about your case. You will want reassurance if you get compensation for the financial loss you incur due to the car accident. “It is imperative to have a lawyer who can come to your level and communicate with you in clear terms. Be mindful of lawyers who use too much legal jargon,” says accident attorney Arthur L. Schechter of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP.
What Else Should You Consider When Selecting a Car Accident Attorney?
1. You need to consider if they command respect amongst their peers in their field. The respect of their peers indicates that they are good at what they do. You can also ask them how high their referral rate is to know if their work is good enough that people refer them to others with the same issue.
2. Having the resources to manage and build your case is another important factor. One resource you should consider about your attorney is if they have a professional office to attend to your needs and build up your case. You need to know if they have a paralegal and legal staff who can all come together to help you build your case.
Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
The law provides that a person may appear before the court to self-represent and present their case before a judge or jury. However, the issue with going ahead is that you may not know some of the laws that may help your case and result in financial compensation. Further, you should know that insurance companies have their attorneys. So, they may look for ways to award you minimal compensation, which may not cover all the expenses and financial losses you incur due to the car accident. You also may not know of some of the rights the law provides you to protect yourself and to aid you in getting the total compensation that covers all your losses. If you self-represent, you may not know how to use and where to cite these rights. Also, a lawyer will know how to advocate for you and negotiate fair compensation that covers your expenses and loss due to the accident.
Is There a Perfect Time You Can Introduce an Attorney to Your Case
There is no more suitable time to bring in a personal injury attorney. You should bring a lawyer to your case before you agree to a settlement from the perpetrator or the insurance company. The best time to get an attorney is as soon as you sustain injuries due to the negligence of another person in a car accident.
