4 Reasons to Retain an Attorney after an Accident
Car accidents, even seemingly minor ones, can leave victims with serious injuries and thousands of dollars in medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. When a car accident isn’t your fault, you deserve compensation for your damages. The best way to determine if you are eligible to receive damages and to pursue getting them is by retaining an attorney, especially an attorney highly experienced in personal injury claims arising from car accidents.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, it’s important that you retain a lawyer. Call us at 1-800-THE-LAW2 to speak to an experienced attorney about your case. Consultation is free and no-obligation, so you don’t have to worry about costs or other requirements. At the very least, it is worth contacting us to see if you have a case.
Four Reasons to Retain an Attorney after a Car Accident
If you are on the fence about working with a car accident attorney after an accident, here are four reasons why you should:
- Positive for your health and well being
- Maximized accident compensation
- Protection from the insurance company
- Meeting legal deadlines
Positive for Your Health and Well-Being
When you retain a lawyer, they handle every aspect of the case for you. You don’t have to worry about gathering evidence, getting your medical records, negotiating with the other side, or speaking to the insurance company. You get to focus all your energy on recovery, which is good for your health and well-being. Your attorney will keep you updated with the progress that’s being made on your case, including any settlement offers you receive. Ultimately, legal representation saves you loads of time, energy, and frustration.
Maximizing Your Compensation
As they investigate and build your case, an experienced car accident attorney will develop a strong sense of what your claim is actually worth. They are incentivized to maximize the payout, as they are paid on contingency. In other words, they get paid more if they get you more money. Win-win.
Without a lawyer, you run the risk of settling your claim for much less than what it is worth. See, your attorney will highlight the strengths in your case and ensure that all possible avenues of financial recovery are explored. In fact, data shows that car accident injury claimants with legal representation receive more compensation.
Protecting You From the Insurance Company
Insurance companies love dealing with claimants who haven’t retained a lawyer. Insurers will use all kinds of tricks and tactics to devalue or deny your claims. For instance, they might:
- Delay the processing of your claim
- Tell you that you must agree to give a recorded statement (this isn’t true)
- Twist your words to suit their goal of not paying you fairly for your claim
- Try to get you to settle right away for an amount that is much less than what you deserve
When you retain an attorney, they will take over all communications with the insurance company and their legal team. You won’t need to speak to them directly. If they do need to talk to you, your lawyer will be present with you to protect your interests.
Meeting Legal Deadlines
Like most legal matters, personal injury cases have deadlines known as the statute of limitations. This is a deadline by which time you have to file your lawsuit. The specifics of the deadline varies from state to state. In some states, it’s only one year from the date of injury; in others, it’s as much as four years.
Your car accident attorney will be highly knowledgeable about the deadlines that apply to your case and will ensure that the deadlines are met. Why is this important? If you miss the deadline, you will lose the right to pursue compensation. When you retain an attorney to handle your case, you don’t have to worry about these deadlines and what they mean for your claim.
What Does it Mean to Retain a Lawyer?
When you retain an attorney, you hire them to represent you in a specific matter, such as a car accident dispute. You and the attorney both sign an agreement that details their services and the contingency fee details. It will explain your rights and obligations, as well as the attorney’s rights and obligations under the contract. Once you sign this contract, your car accident attorney can get to work on progressing your accident claims.
How Much Does it Cost to Retain an Attorney?
Most personal injury lawyers don’t charge retainer fees. Instead, they work on contingency. In a contingency fee arrangement, you don’t pay anything upfront or out-of-pocket. Instead, you only pay Iif and when you receive compensation. This means that hiring a car accident attorney is basically free, and comes at no risk.
Many car accident victims mistakenly believe they must have the money upfront to hire an attorney to represent them. This simply isn’t true. Most personal injury lawyers are sensitive to the fact that many car accident victims don’t have that kind of money. That’s why contingency fees exist.
What is a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee is the type of fee structure most personal injury lawyers use. With this arrangement, clients don’t pay any money to hire an attorney. Instead, once their attorney successfully settles the case or obtains a court award, the attorney receives a percentage of that compensation.
The contingency fee is pre-determined and written into the contract that is signed when the client retains the attorney. Do bear in mind that if your attorney is unsuccessful in obtaining compensation, you don’t have to pay them anything. They don’t get paid for failure.
What are the Qualities of the Best Car Accident Lawyer?
Having a good lawyer is imperative to getting the compensation you deserve and having your claim or lawsuit run smoothly. How often you should hear from your attorney depends on what is going on with your case. If it’s just starting, you may only hear from them or their staff a few times a month. Suppose your case is farther along, and settlement negotiations are ongoing. In that case, you may hear from them every day or several times a week. You also always have the option to call and check in on the status of your case.
The best car accident lawyers:
- Return calls and emails promptly
- Are compassionate and understanding
- Work on contingency and don’t charge a lawyer consultation fee
- Have time to work on your case now
- Are in good standing with their state bar
- Aren’t under any disciplinary action
- Have earned the respect of their peers and colleagues
- Are skilled negotiators
- Are willing to fight on your behalf and go to trial if one becomes necessary
- Focus on personal injury cases
When Do you NOT Need an Attorney after an Accident?
Even if no injuries are present and you feel fine after a car accident, it is ALWAYS a good idea to speak to an attorney and get a second medical opinion or even see a medical specialist. It’s possible that you could still have injuries arising from the accident that are yet to be diagnosed. As such, it’s always in your best interest to discuss your car accident claim with a seasoned attorney who can tell you if you have a viable claim worth pursuing. Simply put, getting legal advice is never a bad idea.
Questions about Retaining an Attorney after a Car Accident? Speak with a Skilled Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you have questions about retaining a lawyer after a car accident, we are here for you. Contact us by phone at 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a free consultation with an auto accident lawyer, or online. Your attorney will discuss the details of your accident to determine if you have a valid legal claim, and how to go about next steps.
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