How an Attorney Can Help With Your Car Accident Claim

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The right lawyer can be key in getting the best outcome for your car accident claim.

If you've been injured in a car accident, you might be wondering exactly how an attorney can help you. In this article we'll cover what a car accident lawyer brings to the table, including:

What Will My Car Accident Lawyer Do?

While much depends on the specifics and the complexity of your car accident case, in general a lawyer can:

Let's look at a couple of these things in-depth.

Your Lawyer Will Communicate With the Other Driver's Insurer

In any personal injury case, your lawyer will open up a line of communication with the insurance adjuster for the other driver (or other parties) involved. The adjuster has the pocketbook, and so it's critical for a plaintiff's lawyer to have good communications and a good relationship with the adjuster.

Your Attorney Will Gather the Right Evidence of Car Accident Fault

A good lawyer can help obtain all the evidence you'll need to prove liability in a car accident claim. Although you may have already taken photographs of the accident scene, your lawyer will probably go back to the scene him/herself to see what it looks like. While a picture may be worth a thousand words, actually seeing the scene can be worth a thousand pictures.

The lawyer will make sure to get all of the accident or police reports in the case and will often speak with the investigating police officers and witnesses. A good lawyer will leave no stone unturned when it comes to obtaining evidence of liability. Learn more about proving fault for a car accident.

Establishing Your Car Accident Losses ("Damages")

This is where a good lawyer can be essential to your case, especially when you've suffered significant car accident injuries, and you need to document the nature and extent of your compensable losses ("damages" in the language of the law).

Obtaining Car Accident Medical Records

It's critical to obtain all documentation related to your injuries, but it isn't always easy to get your hands on those records and bills from health care providers. Although the records are technically yours, and you have an absolute right to them, sending medical records to patients and lawyers just isn't a health care provider's first priority.

Small doctors' offices may not have the staffing or the time to respond to medical record requests on a timely basis. Large hospitals may have specific procedures that must be followed in order to respond to medical record requests. If you don't follow their procedures (which they often don't publicize very well), they simply won't respond to your request.

Then, when the health care provider does respond to the request, the records may be incomplete. Any lawyer's secretary or paralegal will tell you that they often have to request the same records more than once, and they may have to follow up numerous times with the provider's office.

Making Sure Your Car Accident Medical Record Picture Is Complete

It may turn out that the doctor did not use the "magic words" as to critical issues like causation, prognosis, and disability in their notes. In order to successfully prosecute most types of personal injury claims, you must be able to prove, through medical evidence:

Doctors often don't mention causation and the extent of a patient's injury or disability in their medical records. If this happens in your case, your lawyer will write the doctor and ask for a special letter in which the doctor gives their opinion that:

Negotiating With Lien Holders

If you received benefits from a health, disability, or workers' compensation insurer, that insurer will have a lien on your claim. A lien means that the lien holder gets paid before you do, out of any settlement or judgment you receive.

A good lawyer will work to get the lien holder to reduce its lien. This is important work. Every dollar less that the lien holder takes is one more dollar that goes into your pocket. Learn more about health care provider liens on personal injury settlements.

 

Negotiating With Insurers/Defendants

Negotiation is a very specific skill (some might even call it an art). A personal injury lawyer is always going to be far better at settling a car accident case than a layperson would be. A good lawyer knows how much the case is worth and knows how to work the case and conduct the negotiations in order to arrive at the best outcome for the client.

How Do Car Accident Lawyers Get Paid?

When you hire a car accident lawyer to handle your injury case, they'll represent you under what's called a "contingency fee" agreement. This means that the lawyer only gets paid for their legal services if your case is successful—you get an out-of-court settlement, or you receive a court trial decision in your favor. The lawyer's fee is an agreed-upon percentage of whatever you end up getting. Learn more about a lawyer's contingency fee in car accident cases.

How to Find the Best Car Accident Attorney

When you're looking for a car accident lawyer's help, it's often best to start by asking friends, family, and colleagues whether they can recommend a particular legal professional. Conducting an online search is also a good way to start. Here are a few factors to consider:

Deciding to Hire a Car Accident Attorney

Whether the attorney represents you is your decision as much as it is the attorney's. You need to find an attorney you feel comfortable with, and who you can trust. You also want to ensure your attorney will effectively and capably represent your legal interests.

A few questions to consider:

If you decide to hire an attorney, you'll need to sign a fee agreement, representation agreement, or some other document formally establishing the attorney as your legal representative. You'll likely also need to sign other documents, such as medical releases, which will allow your attorney to access your treatment records on your behalf.

What If the Attorney Doesn't Take My Car Accident Case?

If the attorney declines to take your case, that doesn't mean it's a weak one. Attorneys turn down cases for a variety of reasons, including the attorney's workload and potential lack of resources to invest in your particular case at this particular time.

When Can I Handle a Car Accident Claim Myself?

If you weren't hurt all that badly, if you're comfortable gathering necessary evidence and documents, and (most importantly) you're ready and willing to engage in the settlement negotiation process, you can certainly handle your car accident claim yourself. But there's really no substitute for a skilled legal professional's help.

If you do decide to handle your car accident claim yourself, it's normal to run into a few bumps along the way. But it might make sense to discuss your situation with an lawyer if you find yourself at a dead end; for example, if the insurance company:

Your Next Steps After a Car Accident

When you've been involved in a car accident, it can be tough to understand your options, and what to expect. A number of initial questions are crucial, including:

Getting a fair settlement starts with understanding the insurance claim process. Learn more about:

If you're ready to begin your search for a legal professional who can help you get the best result for your car accident case, get tips on finding the right lawyer for you and your case.

 

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