Expert Car Accident Lawyer Los Angeles
Car accidents are a physical, emotional, and financial nightmare. Not only you might lose the use of your car, you may also have significant medical expenses. You might also face time away from work. All of these can impact almost every aspect of your life. If you are like thousands of car accident victims, you have many questions about what you should do after an accident. At PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER, we can answer your questions and advise you on your best course of action. We promise that you will get the best medical treatment to maximize your recovery. Unfortunately insurance companies try to minimize their losses and don’t account for future medical costs or pain and suffering from your injuries. The settlements that they offer may not be adequate for your needs. You may be entitled to much more. WHY SHOULD I GET A LAWYER FOR AN CAR ACCIDENT? Minor accidents that don’t result in injury are fairly straightforward. Both parties exchange information and contact their respective insurance companies. The insurance companies pay for covered repairs, minus the cost of the policies’ deductibles for the at-fault party or parties. When someone is injured in a car accident, things get much more complicated. When a car collides with other cars or objects, the speed at which it was driving turns into force. When a human body gets in the way of that force, the physical consequences can be severe, and the injuries may be permanent. This is when hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer is a smart idea. Although you are not required to hire a lawyer to handle your case, having a legal expert on your side helps protect you from liability and get you the compensation that you need to: recover from your injuries recoup lost wages cover future medical costs make up for reduced earning capacity help alleviate pain and suffering WHAT DOES A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY DO? When people think of personal injury attorneys, they often picture them standing in a courtroom, before a jury. While there are many cases that go to trial, the vast majority are settled out of court, sparing everyone involved a great deal of time, resources and stress. Your attorney will do everything in his or her power to resolve your case in the shortest amount of time, but an experienced attorney should not be afraid to take your case into the courtroom if the offered settlement isn’t enough to compensate for your injuries. In the end, the decision is yours to make. An attorney should only commit you to a settlement with your express consent.Investigation It is very important to consult an attorney early on to make sure that you do not invalidate your claim, make statements that may jeopardize your case or accept any terms or settlements offered by the insurance companies involved. How long this phase will take depends on the details of your accident. Your attorney will gather whatever evidence is available, such as photographs, witness statements and collision reports. Your personal injury attorney will be your advisor and guide through your legal proceedings. Recovery You may be eager to get the process started. After all, you are probably watching your doctors’ bills mounting and you can anticipate receiving many more. But once your questions have been answered and your attorney has all of the information available about your accident, he or she will need to wait until your recovery is complete or your condition stabilizes to proceed. During this time, your job is to focus on what matters most—healing. Gathering Records Once your doctor has released you from treatment, your attorney will gather the items that are needed to document your injury, including medical bills, reports from doctors, test results, employment records, and other items that will help prove the extent of your injuries and their impact on your life. This process may take time, as your attorney will need to wait for providers to provide the requested information. Request an offer from the insurance company This may be a lengthy process, because the insurance company may need to do its own research on your case before making their offer. Once the insurance company makes an offer, your attorney will review it with you and advise you on your best course of action. If you decide not to accept the offered settlement amount, your attorney will take the next step. File a lawsuit/demand arbitration Your lawsuit may have multiple defendants, each of whom will need to be located and served notice of your lawsuit. Depending on who and where they are, locating them may take time. Defendants typically have 30 days from the time that they are served to respond to the notice.