Car accidents can be annoying. From personal liabilities to filing for claims, car accidents can pin you down. However, with the right lawyer, you can beat the hassle and have your case successfully executed. Remember, personal injury lawsuits can take time, resources, and effort. That’s why you should know what to expect from a car crash lawyer. So, if this is the information you have been looking for, keep reading. This article is going to dig deep into the topic—giving you explicit things to expect from an accident attorney.
The Basics
Normally, people think that a car accident lawyer must go to court to represent you in case of a car accident. Of course, going to court is one of the duties of a personal injury attorney. However, many cases can be settled out of court. This will not only save you money but also the stress associated with going through a lengthy trial. With the right attorney, you will get the best possible estimate and save you lots of money.
Insurance Coverage
After an accident, it’s important to leverage your health insurance coverage. Alternatively, you can use automobile medical insurance. A personal injury lawyer understands the details of any insurance cover. He/she understands how to get the best out of the cover. Your attorney will use his/her experience to negotiate with your insurer for the best possible payment.
Litigation Process
The legal field is specialized in nature. Thus, you might take time to hear from your car accident lawyer. However, you should call him/her on a regular basis for updates. Equally, your lawyer shouldn’t leave his/her client in the dark. There are many factors that determine the period it takes to get settlements. They include:
Evidence—the process of obtaining evidence includes witness statements, reports from relevant agencies, and photographs. The quicker this evidence is obtained the faster your case will take to end. An experienced lawyer from Lord, Kobrin, Alvarez & Fattell, LLC – Personal Injury Law Firm understands how to gather evidence quickly.
Hospitalization—No case will proceed until you are out of the hospital. Thus, your lawyer will have to wait till you get better to proceed with the process of negotiating a settlement on your behalf. After being released by your doctor, your lawyer will then start to assemble medical reports, medical bills, as well as employment reports.
Soliciting an offer—the next step involves soliciting an offer from your insurer. This can take time and delay settlement. Different employees of that company must review the offer before giving the final verdict. Once the offer is received, your personal injury attorney will send it over to you for review for an appropriate course of action.
Filing a lawsuit—this happens when your attorney fails to reach into an agreement with your insurance company. At this stage, your lawyer will either file a lawsuit or apply for arbitration. The court will give the defendants a maximum of 30 days to make a response regarding the lawsuit. In other cases, there might be more than one defendant. Also, the defendant might include other defendants in the lawsuit.
Discovery Proceedings—Discovery proceedings is the next step. Here, the defendants are expected to file their answers. Then the deposition of witnesses, experts, as well as parties happen at this stage. Your lawyer will be assisting and instructing you in every step. He/she will leverage different discovery devices when substantiating your claim. It’s important to note that discovery takes time. So, depending on the complexity of your case, you will be required to exercise patience.
Trail—the next step involves requesting a trial date. Remember, the date is beyond the parties involved. It will depend on the court’s schedule.
Creditor Disputes
Accidents normally proceed with financial disruptions. For instance, you might unable to go to work and have more financial obligations. Normally, you will be unable to meet all these obligations. Thus, you will have to notify your creditors before the interest rates of your loans pile up. A good creditor should understand and wait until you are back to your normalcy before collecting any loan arrears from you. However, if you are unable to reach an agreement with your creditor, you might have to involve your injury lawyer. He/she will contact your creditor, explain your situation, and negotiate on the way forward. Your creditors will come to you to verify the accident. Also, your attorney will go through your insurance policy to see if it has a Credit Disability insurance.
Rental Cars
If the liability is in the other party, you will be given a rental car to use until your car is fully repaired. In most cases, you will need to rent a car. You will be responsible for all expenses—including car rentals, tax, and insurance premiums. You will be required to send the bills to your insurance company—who will be paying it until your car is repaired.
Don’t Discuss Your Case
Never discuss your case with anyone. The only party you should discuss your accident is your layer as well as the doctor. So, if anybody approaches you wanting to know what happened, refer him/her to your lawyer. Make every detail confidential.
Additional Important Instructions
The following are additional recommendations that will help protect your case.
- Never sign any document that is related to your case. If there is a need, discuss it with your lawyer first.
- All bills—including insurance premiums—should be photocopied and sent to your lawyer
- Your doctor should be notified as soon as you are released by your doctor for further care
- Any change in the phone number or a physical address should be communicated to your lawyer
The Bottom-Line
Don’t let car accident pin you down. You can hire a good lawyer and get the best settlement. It’s also important to note that getting claims from your instance isn’t that easy. It involves a lot of steps and technical aspects. That’s why you should know what to expect from your accident attorney. The above are key things to expect from your attorney.