Car accidents can be traumatic experiences that result in life-long consequences. You might have mounting financial problems to contend with on top of substantial pain and suffering, to name a few examples.
If someone else was responsible for your crash, you may be entitled to compensation from them. However, insurance companies are notoriously difficult to deal with and will do whatever they can to minimize or eliminate their liability.
Hiring a car accident lawyer is about ensuring you are rightfully compensated for your injuries and damages. Read on to learn about what an attorney can do for you after a collision.
Build Your Case
As the injured victim, you have the burden of proof to establish your claim. In most cases, you’ll need to bring evidence of the other driver’s negligence to win. Proving liability requires showing that each legal element of negligence is at least 51% likely to be true – this is called the “by a preponderance of the evidence” standard.
Your lawyer can internally investigate your case to identify the liable party (or parties), collect the necessary evidence, and formulate a plan of action to put as much money into your pocket as possible.
Calculate Your Damages
You can often recover economic and non-economic damages after a car accident. Punitive damages might even be available in rare cases.
Economic damages represent your financial losses, such as lost wages and medical bills. Non-economic damages reflect your other losses, such as pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.
An experienced attorney can ensure you demand the full amount of compensation the law allows you to pursue. Often, this entails bringing in experts – such as forensic economists – who can attest to the validity and amount of your damages.
Negotiate on Your Behalf
Nick Norden, an Orlando car accident attorney, states: “Most car accident claims are resolved with a settlement agreement, usually with an insurance company. Insurance companies are in business to make a profit, not to pay large sums to accident victims”.
As a result, as mentioned above, they’ll work hard to try and escape liability. They might even try to blame you for the crash or say that it didn’t cause your injuries. Insurance adjusters are well-trained to achieve these goals for their employers.
A trusted lawyer won’t fall for these tactics. They’ll respond to allegations of blame effectively and handle all communications so that you can focus on your recovery.
Take Your Case to Court if Necessary
In some circumstances, such as when liability is in dispute or the case involves complex issues, it may be in your best interest to file a lawsuit and bring your car accident claim to court. However, you’ll almost certainly need an attorney to represent you through the litigation process.
Once a lawsuit is filed, your lawyer can utilize pretrial discovery to get more information – and possibly important evidence – from the opposing party. This could lead to a higher settlement offer and a favorable outcome for your case.
If your case makes it to trial (which is rare), your attorney can advocate for you in front of the jury. In these instances, a skilled trial attorney can make all the difference in whether you walk away with compensation.
Set Up a Free Consultation With an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
Most car accident lawyers offer free consultations to review your case and offer initial legal advice. It’s almost always wise to take advantage of this opportunity following a crash.
Note further that most car accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. You can hire a lawyer for your case without paying any upfront fees. From there, your attorney is only paid if they successfully handle your case.
At that time, they’ll receive a percentage of your compensation as payment – even after this fee is taken out, you’re likely to receive more money with an attorney on your side than you would otherwise.
Nick Norden is one of the founding partners at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law, an Orlando personal injury law firm with 75+ years of combined experience helping injury victims across central Florida get compensation. Contact us for help today.
