The aftermath of a car accident may seem overwhelming, particularly if you have serious injuries and have never gone through the legal process before. However, with the right attorney on your side, you will be able to focus on your recovery while knowing what’s going on with your car accident claim.
Below, we discuss five key reasons to hire a personal injury attorney after a car accident.
#1. The insurance company is not your friend.
Soon after your car accident, you may receive a phone call from the other driver’s insurance company. An agent or adjuster from this insurance company may ask you for information about your claim.
Although this person may seem friendly and genuine, it’s important to remember that their main goal is to protect their company’s money. They are not your friend. Their job is to get information out of you that can be used to minimize or deny your claim.
Keep in mind that you are not required to speak with the insurance adjuster. You may simply tell them that you will not speak with them without an attorney on the line, and then hang up the phone.
An experienced attorney will be able to negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, protect your rights, and strengthen the validity of your claim.
#2. An expert is required for this complex field of law.
Do not try to go through the legal process on your own. The fact of the matter is that any legal matter, no matter the type of accident or injury involved, is complex. There are often multiple parties that must be negotiated with, including insurance companies, manufacturers, and more.
You need an experienced attorney on your side who is well-versed in your state’s laws and can maneuver through these laws in order to recover maximum possible compensation for you.
#3. You will get better results with legal representation.
Studies have shown that claimants with legal representation recover significantly more than those who go through the process on their own. In fact, the average award for those with legal representation in a personal injury case is $77,600, compared to $17,600 for those who handled their own cases. Even after deducting the fees charged by personal injury attorneys in San Jose, most claimants with legal representation walk away with about three times as much compensation as unrepresented claimants.
#4. You can focus on recovering from your injuries.
Any good personal injury attorney will take your legal matter largely out of your hands while you focus on recovering from your injuries. A good attorney will also keep you informed and updated throughout the process, and will respond to your calls and emails as soon as possible.
#5. You won’t pay a cent out of your own pocket.
Virtually every personal injury attorney operates on a contingency fee basis. This means that you do not pay your attorney a cent unless they win money for you. Then, their fee gets deducted from the award amount. Additionally, many personal injury firms—including Caputo and Van Der Walde – Injury & Accident Attorneys—offer free consultations.
This means that you will not pay your personal injury attorney any money out of your own pocket during the entire process. So, there are no downsides to exploring your options with an experienced firm.