When to Hire a Lawyer for a Car Accident
Motor Vehicles Accidents - March 8, 2021
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a vehicle accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver in Illinois, you should be entitled to various types of compensation for your losses.
However, ensuring that you are treated fairly in the aftermath of a car accident is critical. When insurance carriers get involved, they will do what they can to limit the amount of money they pay you in a settlement. Here, we want to discuss whether or not you need an attorney after a car accident.
An Attorney can Conduct Complete Investigations
Most injury victims do not have the resources necessary to conduct a full investigation into the crash. However, a skilled car accident attorney in Illinois can use their resources and legal expertise to fully investigate the incident. First, they will gather all evidence necessary to prove liability. This can include the following:
- Statements from any eyewitnesses
- The police or accident report
- Photographs taken at the scene of the crash
- Video surveillance from nearby homes or businesses
- Vehicle “black box” data
- Mobile device data
An attorney can also work with trusted accident reconstruction experts who can use their knowledge of these incidents as well as the evidence gathered to help show the insurance carriers or a potential jury what happened.
An Attorney can Properly Calculate Damages
It can be difficult to properly calculate an injury victim’s total expected losses. A Chicago car accident attorney can work with trusted medical and financial experts to properly determine how much they need to request from the other party in order to make their client “whole.”
Some of the most common types of compensation a car accident injury victim may be entitled to can include:
- Coverage of all medical bills
- Coverage of medical devices or prescription medications
- Lost income if a victim cannot work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
An attorney can present all this information to the insurance carrier of the at-fault party or to a jury if the case needs to go to trial.
An Attorney can Negotiate With all Parties
There will inevitably be negotiations between the injury victim’s attorney and the insurance carrier or the at-fault party’s attorney. The negotiation process can be complex, and this should not be attempted by the injury victim. There are simply too many ways for a person without much legal expertise to mess up and end up accepting a much lower offer than they should.
An Attorney will Prepare for Trial
If the insurance carrier or the at-fault party refuses to offer a fair settlement, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit and bring the case into the Illinois civil court system. The trial process can be incredibly complex and time-consuming, but an attorney will have the experience necessary to handle the situation.
An Attorney is Your Advocate
Car accident victims need to focus their time on recovering from the incident and spending time with their families. The last thing a car accident injury victim needs to be concerned about is the insurance settlement process or a potential lawsuit. An attorney will be an advocate for the car accident injury victim and handle all this on their behalf.
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