After you have been seriously injured in a car accident, your first priority will of course be to get treatment for your injuries and begin the long road to recovery. However, you should also be meeting with an attorney to discuss the possibility of filing a personal injury lawsuit, especially if your accident was caused by a driver who was driving while impaired from drugs or alcohol, distracted by their cell phone, or failed to obey speed limits. Once you begin working with a car accident attorney, here is what you can expect.
Using Contingency-Fees
One of the biggest benefits in working with a car accident attorney is that you will not need hundreds or thousands of dollars at the beginning to get them to take your case. Instead, after discussing your case with you during a free consultation and deciding you have a valid case, your attorney will work with you on a contingency-fee basis. This means they will not get paid unless they win your case, at which point they will take a percentage of the damages you are awarded, which is usually 35-40 percent.
Gathering Evidence
To win your car accident case, your attorney, like those at David Helfand PA, will go over the details of your accident very carefully. In doing so, they can begin to gather key evidence that will help you win your case. This will include police reports, eyewitness accounts, medical records, photos of the accident scene, and consultations with expert witnesses who specialize in accident reconstruction.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Once you file your lawsuit, let your attorney handle all negotiations with insurance companies. Since insurers will either try to delay or deny your claim or perhaps offer you a very low amount of money to settle your case, let your attorney handle everything from day one. As they gather more and more evidence in your favor, they can put pressure on insurers to reach an out-of-court settlement that gives you the compensation you deserve.
Staying Away from Social Media
Finally, expect your car accident attorney to suggest you keep away from social media until your case is resolved. If you post comments or pictures about your accident that put you in an unfavorable light, this will be used against you in court. Before you know it, you may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
By taking your attorney’s advice and being as cooperative as possible from start to finish, you can emerge with the compensation needed to pay your medical bills and replace your lost wages.
Author information: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her husky, Snowball.
