How a Lawyer Can Help You After a Car Accident
If you have been in a recent car accident, you are probably dealing with pain, multiple doctor’s appointments, and an ever-mounting stack of medical bills. You know you will have to file an insurance claim to be reimbursed for your medical expenses and mechanic bills.
You may think you don’t need an Indianapolis car accident attorney to represent you, especially if the accident was someone else’s fault and your expenses are straightforward. However, you have a better chance of getting money if a lawyer represents you.
Personal injury attorneys have advanced knowledge of the law. They deal with insurance companies daily and have the ability to obtain records that an ordinary person would not.
The Insurance Claim Process
When you have an accident with injuries or property damage, you must call the police and wait for them to arrive. You should take pictures and get the names and numbers of witnesses.
You must go to the doctor and save the bills and medical records from every doctor appointment you have. Save the bills from surgery, physical therapy, cleaning services, and child care services you need due to your accident. Save receipts from medications you have to take. Ask your employer to provide you with documentation of lost wages.
Once you have gathered all your documentation, you must contact the insurance company. You will send them your documentation, and they will assign the case to an insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster will investigate the claim and decide whether or not they can approve it. If they approve of it, they will make you a settlement offer.
A Lawyer Can Advise You
Before you accept the insurance company’s offer, it is always in your best interest to talk to an attorney. They can tell you whether or not the offer is fair. If it is not fair, they can tell you if they think they can get more money for you. You should hire them if they think they can get you a better settlement. Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. You will not be charged unless they can get you a better deal.
They Can Negotiate on Your Behalf
An attorney can negotiate with an insurance company on your behalf. Personal injury attorneys talk to insurance adjusters every day and know what arguments will work to get you the money you deserve.
They Can Represent You in Court
In the unlikely case that they are unable to negotiate a fair amount with the insurance company, they can represent you in a lawsuit against the insurance company. You will sit down together and discuss whether or not a lawsuit is worth the time and expense it will take.
A personal injury attorney will have a team of paralegals and legal assistants who can research your case. They will have relationships with expert witnesses who can testify on your behalf. They are professional public speakers who know how to sway a jury.
They Can Subpoena Records
An attorney can subpoena records in a lawsuit. This can be critical to winning a court case. For example, another driver may have hit you because they were on their cell phone. They may deny having been on the phone. Their cell phone records will reveal whether or not they were talking at the time of the collision.
Getting injured in an accident is a traumatic experience. With the right representation, you can get the money you need to recover from your injuries and move on with your life.
