If you were injured or involved in a car accident, you’re likely facing dozens of loose ends you now need to take care of. Medical bills, insurance claims, repair estimates, police reports, and more can all pile up quickly, leaving you with a series of time-sensitive, stressful tasks to accomplish all at once. Meanwhile, you may find that you need time to recover from the traumatic event of a car accident and any injuries you were left with.
Hiring a car accident attorney is one way that many people choose to take care of themselves and their responsibilities in the aftermath of a car accident. Having a legal professional on your side can bring peace of mind after a crash, as they would be familiar with many of the legal scenarios that commonly arise when filing for compensation after an auto collision. If your car accident to-do list involves any of the following, it may be worth it to hire a car accident lawyer who can help ensure that your best interests are protected during this stressful time.
Evaluating Car Accident Damages
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the average, comprehensive cost of a motor vehicle accident in 2021 with no observable injuries was $17,000. This means that even the best case scenario, with only minimal damage and no injuries to either party, may still bear a substantial price tag for everyone involved.
Once possible injuries are factored in, the average, comprehensive cost per person involved in a collision jumps to $120,000 and continues to rise from there. For a crash involving a disabling injury or fatality, the average, comprehensive cost reaches into the millions of dollars, according to the NSC’s findings.
As the above data illustrates, the cost of a car accident may be greater than the initial bill from the hospital or auto body shop. This data from the National Safety Council accounts for a variety of damages, including non-economic losses such as loss of life, enjoyment, and consortium, as well as estimated economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages from needing to take time off work to recover.
That being said, the damages that result from a car accident can vary in type and severity from person to person. One of our motor vehicle accident attorneys would be well-equipped to help you assess the full extent of your car accident losses, both economic and non-economic.
Some or all of the following categories may apply to your specific situation:
- Medical costs: Your medical bills may be immediate, such as the cost of an ambulance ride, stay in the ER, or medical treatment directly after the crash. They may also involve ongoing costs if you find you need follow up care and rehabilitative treatment. If you carry Personal Injury Protection insurance, that policy should cover your medical bills up to a certain amount.
- Vehicle repairs: Your insurance should also cover vehicle repairs. However, if you do not have sufficient coverage for the damage done, you may be able to put in a claim on the other party’s insurance for extended coverage. A car accident attorney in our network can advise you on where to get your vehicle repaired and help you document repair or replacement costs to include in a comprehensive demand package.
- Missing wages: When you need to take time off work to recover from your accident injuries, your insurer should be able to cover a percentage of your lost wages. Any remaining lost wages may be recoverable through a car accident lawsuit filed in civil claims court.
- Wrongful death: In car accident cases involving a wrongful death, recoverable damages may include funeral costs, bereavement, lost support of a spouse or family member, and more.
- Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering damages are generally not covered by insurance and can only be recovered through a separate civil lawsuit, which can be made easier with the help of a car accident injury lawyer.
Car Accident Claims
Negotiating with Insurance
Some people choose to hire an attorney from the beginning of their car accident claim to ensure that they do not accept a small settlement offer from their insurance company. We can connect you with a car accident attorney who knows which amounts are acceptable and which ones aren’t, and who has experience in negotiating for more in the event that you are offered a low settlement. However, if your auto insurance claim is denied, or only approved in part, it may be especially important to work with a qualified car accident insurance dispute attorney.
If your insurance company offers you a settlement that does not reflect the amount of compensation that should be available to you under your policy, an attorney can help ensure that you are not leaving money on the table. Working with a lawyer puts pressure on insurers to make a fair offer. If the insurance company refuses to negotiate further, your attorney will not hesitate to represent you in court and fight for maximum compensation on your behalf, as long as the circumstances of your accident allow for civil litigation.
When in doubt, consult with a car accident attorney. An initial consultation is free and confidential, so there is no harm in talking to a professional to ensure that your claim has been filed correctly and that the amount you are set to receive is fair.
Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit Made Easy
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO FILING A CAR ACCIDENT LAWSUIT
We’ve put together this guide as a resource for all things related to car accident lawsuits. Let us connect you with a lawyer for the help and representation you need.
You do not need to have an encyclopedic or even working knowledge of your state’s car accident laws, filing deadlines, court schedule, or how to escalate your insurance claim in civil court when you work with a legal professional in our network. All these logistics and more can be handled by your car accident attorney. Our lawyers can take care of every detail of your case, including filing your case in the proper court within the appropriate deadlines, negotiating before the trial to try to reach a settlement and save you time, and representing you in court if necessary.
Communicating with the other Driver’s Legal Team
Whether the other driver in your case was at fault for the collision, or they claim to have been injured and hire a legal team, you will want to have your own representation to communicate with them on your behalf. With your own lawyer by your side, you may find that you have a better chance of reaching a settlement before the case can even go to trial, not to mention the benefit of strategic and professional communications that leave no room for accidentally admitting fault and liability.
Your car accident attorney will have built a comprehensive case around the details of your crash by the time your claim goes to trial. Your legal team can reach out to eyewitnesses, consult with experts, sift through testimony, and create a compelling case to maximize your available compensation. A lawyer will gather proof of your car accident losses and present them in court if necessary, or in an insurance claim appeal, to make sure that nothing gets left out.
Reducing Stress after a Car Accident
Finally, at the end of the day, nothing is more important than your own health and well-being. After a car accident, let a professional take care of the hassle and logistics of filing your case and ensuring you get compensated for your losses. Focus on yourself and what you need to recover, and let a team of qualified legal professionals do what they are trained to do. After a free initial consultation, CarAccident.Law can connect you to a car accident attorney ready to protect your best interests after a crash.
