After a car accident, many people accept the police report as written, and let their insurance company deal with the consequences. Unfortunately, letting the insurance companies handle the financial side of things can cost you thousands of dollars in damages, especially if someone was injured in the incident. Here are some of the reasons that you should hire a car accident lawyer to represent you and your interests, regardless of who is at fault.
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Having A Lawyer Can Result In A Better Settlement
Hiring a lawyer can get you the best compensation for your injuries whether the accident wasn’t your fault, or if the other party was only partly at fault. Studies by the Insurance Research Council show that settlements are three and a half times larger when a lawyer represents a client.
If you are the injured party, the lawyer will ask for compensation for pain and suffering and medical expenses, which you may not have considered if you were dealing with the insurance company yourself. A lawyer knows what you are legally entitled to, especially if you are not at fault for the accident.
Lawyers Will Coordinate With Insurance Companies
When you have a lawyer on your side, they will handle all of the communication and details with the other driver’s insurance company or attorney. They will get your side of the story and check the accident report to make sure those details line up. If the story and the report don’t match, they will determine the reason why, and which course of action to pursue next.
If an insurance agent for the other party involved approaches you, you can refer them to your lawyer to answer any questions they may have for you. In fact, you should not speak with them, as you may inadvertently reveal information that could hinder your case in the future, which could result in them having an upper hand.
Lawyers Are Aware Of Timing
Auto accident cases have statutes of limitations regarding filing claims, and a lawyer will be aware of those limitations. They will know when they should file any necessary paperwork in court to move forward with your claim, or to answer a claim against you.
These statutes vary from state to state. For example, a good car accident lawyer in Houston would know that the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Texas, which includes auto accidents, is two years. So, from the date of the accident, all parties involved have 24 months to file a claim in the case.
Investigate The Accident
Not all accidents are what they seem. For example, a little fender bender could be an attempted case of fraud by the other driver. Lawyers have the resources and knowledge to do in-depth investigations into your accident.
While your attorney may find it was indeed just an accident and unintentional, lawyers sometimes do uncover cases of fraud. In these cases, the other party could be attempting to defraud the insurance company by falsifying information or providing fake details or injuries.
Having an attorney on your side investigating the case can keep you from being the victim of this type of scam.
Handle All Court Appearances
Whenever the case requires you to be in court, your lawyer can be there on your behalf acting as your representative. In many cases, you do not need to be present, as the court date may be to simply sign or review paperwork, which your attorney can do for you. This can save you time and hassle, by allowing the attorney to represent you.
Conclusion
If you are ever in the unlucky situation of having been in an automobile accident, don’t hesitate to hire a lawyer. They can help you by handling all of the communication with the other party’s insurance company or attorney, they can file important documents in a timely manner, and can help investigate your case. They can also help you win a more significant settlement for your injuries.
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