What Personal Injury Attorneys Do for Car Accident Victims
If you ever have the misfortune to be involved in a car accident, your first move should be to contact an experienced attorney. A qualified car accident lawyer will assist you in recovering any monetary losses sustained in the accident. The attorney can help you deal with accident insurance claims or can represent you in court, if necessary. Hiring an attorney can mean the distinction between losing the case or realizing large financial sums to help you recoup medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and compensation for pain and suffering.
Car accidents happen every single day. The majority of personal Injury Settlement claims concern auto accidents involving trucks, cars, or other vehicles. The majority of crashes cause minor damages and might be handled directly by the victim and the insurance company. However, if you are involved in a car accident that causes a fatality, physical injury or vital damage, you will most likely need to enlist the services of an experienced car accident attorney.
What To Do If You Are Involved In A Car Accident
It’s in your best interest to be ready in case of a car accident. Most local police departments respond to an accident only if injuries are reported. Since it is up to the car owner to gather all the information necessary for a non-emergency accident, all drivers ought to have the following things stashed in their glove box:
- Pen and paper
- Disposable camera
- Your vehicle registration and insurance number card
- Emergency contact numbers
- Towing company contact number
If an accident happens and nobody is injured, move the vehicle out of traffic if possible. Before moving the car out of traffic, use your camera to click some photographs of the whole scene of the accident. Take additional precautions if there is moving traffic nearby. Once you have moved the vehicles out of the line of traffic, exchange information with the other drivers. If the cars cannot be driven, the local police department ought to be notified. After that, you want to hire a personal injury lawyer.
What to Ask Once Hiring An Attorney
Before you speak with the lawyer, try to gather as many facts and information about the car accident and any monetary losses or injuries as you can. Documents that you should try to get for your attorney include the other drivers’ name, address, and driver’s license number. Ask for insurance information.
Some queries to ask an attorney before hiring:
- How do you structure your fees?
- What expertise do you have with my specific type of injury?
- What part of my case are you responsible for handling?
- How much of your workload is devoted to car accident cases?
What, If Any, Up-front Fees or Expenses Must I Pay for?
The majority of car accident cases are processed on a “no-fee-unless-you-win” basis. This means that you will not have to pay the attorney if they cannot win the case on your behalf. However, if the case is won, you will pay the lawyer a pre-set percentage of the personal injury award.
The attorney usually gets to set his or her rates. However, the usual charge is between 30 and 40 percent. Every state has its own rules and regulations on the limit a lawyer may charge you. Remember that “attorney fees” are quite different from “costs” and you will likely need to pay all costs related to the case in addition to the percentage.
If you would like to find out more about your car accident case, most lawyers allow the first meeting to be completely free of charge. The primary step to finding a good attorney and getting the compensation you deserve is to make contact with a lawyer who has expertise in car accident law and offers a free claim analysis. Taking advantage of this option gives you a more in-depth insight into the strength of your legal case.