Car accidents are traumatic events that have the ability to completely change your life. You will be hit with a range of injuries and losses, which will affect your life in multiple ways.
You cannot go back in time and undo the accident. But what you can do is sue the at-fault party and recover financial compensation for all your suffering. This is one of the major reasons why the majority of guides on the internet ask you to get in touch with a car accident attorney immediately after the accident. The attorney provides a range of services that are beneficial to a car accident claim.
At this point, one question naturally arises.
Why do I need an attorney? The internet has plenty of resources, and I have great research skills. I can do this on my own.
There is nothing wrong with this question. In fact, a good chunk of car accident victims have the same question during their claim process.
This article is here to answer that. It doesn’t list the advantages of hiring a lawyer. Instead, it talks about what happens if you decide to go solo for your car accident claim. Read on.
Poor Understanding of the Law
Personal injury law is complex and has numerous layers. What’s applicable for one state might not be applicable for another state. The various statutes don’t make things any easier.
Without a lawyer, you’re going to have a hard time understanding the local laws and your rights. This makes you very vulnerable to mistakes that can hurt your car accident claim.
You May Not Find the Right Person
Unlike what TV and movies want you to believe, car accidents aren’t really open-and-shut cases.
Yes, there may be some that are straightforward, but not all of them are.
Another driver is usually the liable party in a car accident. But there are chances that more people or someone else can be held liable.
If the accident occurred due to a manufacturing defect, the car manufacturer can be held liable.
If the at-fault driver was performing a job-related duty when the accident happened, then their employer can be held liable under vicarious negligence rules.
If the accident occurred due to a defective spare part, then the manufacturer of the spare part can be held liable.
You run the risk of missing the right person if you handle a car accident case without an attorney.
Vulnerable to Insurance Adjusters
Insurance adjusters are agents of the insurance company who are tasked with the job of investigating the claim and preparing a quick settlement offer.
Their offer will not be sufficient to compensate for all your damages. And on top of that, the insurance adjuster will push to close the claim quickly.
They are skilled at convincing people and will not rest until they’ve closed the claim.
You will become prey to the insurance adjuster’s tricks if you don’t have a lawyer.
Missing Expenses in the Final Settlement
Car accident victims suffer numerous injuries and losses. Some of the more common ones include:
- Hospitalization expenses
- Medication
- Lost wages
- Property damages
- Wrongful death damages
This is common knowledge, and you may consider all these damages. However, there are additional damages whose damages are greater.
These damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Future medical expenses
- Inability to work as before
These losses are harder to calculate but carry some of the highest compensation amounts. Without the assistance of a lawyer, estimating an amount for these damages and proving them is extremely difficult.
No Negotiation Partner
The negotiation phase appears towards the end of a car accident claim. It is at this stage that the settlement you receive will be decided.
Without legal representation, you will be tricked into accepting an amount that doesn’t do justice to the damages or losses you have sustained.
Not just that, the insurance adjuster will use their expert negotiation skills to corner you. In the end, you will have to accept a very low offer.
This is something that doesn’t happen when you hire a lawyer, as they are skilled negotiators themselves and will tackle the insurance adjusters easily.
Conclusion
A car accident claim helps victims get fair compensation for all the difficulties they had to go through because of someone’s negligence. It is the right thing to do.
However, without legal assistance, this task might seem impossible.
This is why it is recommended to hire an experienced car accident lawyer. Their expertise in law and in handling similar cases makes them the ideal person to be by your side during the claim.
