There’s no law stating you must hire a car wreck lawyer after an accident. However, hiring an attorney will help you protect your legal rights in the aftermath of the incident. You may be entitled to compensation if the other driver was at fault, and an attorney can help you fight for a fair settlement.
3 Reasons You Should Hire a Car Wreck Lawyer If You Weren’t at Fault
1. To Tell You What You Can Claim
Anyone who has suffered damages at the hands of another party is entitled to financial compensation. After a road accident, you can be reimbursed for medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, car repairs, and emotional suffering or PTSD. There are several more things you may be able to be compensated for, and your car wreck lawyer in Jackson, Wyoming can help you figure those out.
Some of the other things you may be compensated for include:
- Loss of income
- Future lost income if you were left with a disability that made you unable to work
- Your attorney’s contingent fee
2. To Investigate the Case
You may know whether or not you’re at fault, but that doesn’t mean everybody else does. Sometimes the other driver will try to deny all blame even though they clearly drove straight into you. Your attorney will open an investigation to compile evidence in your favor to prove the other driver was liable.
They’ll use speed camera footage, dash cam footage, witness testimonies, and other tactics to prove you weren’t at fault. They may also bring in experts to examine the damage done to your vehicle to prove that you were driven into if that was the case. Generally, they’ll do everything in their power to make a case proving you can claim compensation.
3. To Negotiate with the Insurance Company
Car accident attorneys have excellent negotiation skills as they deal with insurance companies regularly. You see, the other driver’s insurance company won’t offer you a fair settlement straightaway. They’ll keep trying to get you to lower your offer, so it’ll take a lot of back-and-forth until you come to an agreement. Your attorney is better able to handle this than you are, and ideally, you’ll let them take care of it.
3 Reasons You Should Hire a Lawyer If You Were at Fault
1. To Guide You through the Aftermath
Maybe there was a major distraction in your vehicle that you couldn’t control, or perhaps your car was faulty and you didn’t know it. Regardless of what it was, something happened that made you responsible for an accident. You probably don’t know what to do now. You know there will be legal repercussions, but you’re not sure what they are.
Talking to an attorney will help you learn exactly what you need to do now. Most of the time it won’t have to be anything major. Your insurance company will pay the other driver, you’ll apologize, and that’s it. It’s a simple process, but it’s easy to panic when you don’t have an attorney to lead you through it.
2. To Determine If You Were Fully or Partially at Fault
You might think you were the liable party, but that doesn’t mean you’re fully liable. You may have been speeding, but the other driver might have been texting while driving. You might have forgotten to turn on your turn signal, but the other driver might have been driving with faulty brakes.
That’s why the investigation process after a car wreck is so important. Your attorney will figure out what percentage liable you were, and your insurance company will only have to pay the other driver that percentage of their claim.
3. To Defend Your Side of the Case
It’s easy to see the liable party in the car accident as a villain, but that’s not always the case. You’re only human, and mistakes happen. Your attorney can help everybody involved see this. They’ll help defend you and ensure everyone involved knows that you weren’t driving with malice. This will ensure there are no major repercussions for you after the incident.
Does Being Responsible for a Car Accident Make You a Criminal?
If the entire incident was truly accidental, then it won’t be classed as a felony or misdemeanor as long as everyone involved is alive after it. Here are five scenarios that turn the accident into a felony or misdemeanor:
- It was a hit-and-run
- The liable driver was drunk
- The liable driver caused the accident while fleeing from law enforcement
- The liable driver was driving recklessly
- The liable driver was grossly negligent and it resulted in the death of the other driver/one of the passengers
It’s always a good idea to hire an attorney regardless of whether or not you’re liable. Your attorney can come to your defense and, if you’re entitled to it, help you claim compensation. A well-practiced attorney will help you come out of this ordeal in the best shape possible.
