By Mitch Rice
Most people go through life without needing a car accident attorney. So when the time comes, they’re working with a lot of assumptions about how the process works and what attorneys do. Most people even wonder whether hiring one is realistic for their situation.
Some of those assumptions are correct, while others are dead wrong. Understanding this, we’re going to look at several things worth knowing about car accident attorneys before you decide whether to hire one.
- They Do More Than Just “Handle Paperwork”
Some people assume that hiring a car accident attorney is mostly about having someone fill out forms and send letters to the insurance company on your behalf. But that undersells what they do by a pretty wide margin.
A good car accident attorney investigates the accident independently. They obtain the police report, collect witness statements, review medical records, and in more complex cases, bring in accident reconstruction experts who can establish exactly how the collision occurred. They also document the full scope of your injuries, including future medical needs that you might not be thinking about yet.
Additionally, they deal with the insurance company’s tactics. This includes adjusters who might try to pressure you into a fast, low settlement. The entire tone of the process shifts when the insurance company knows that the person on the other side understands the rules of the game.
- You Don’t Need Money to Hire One
The common assumption is that attorneys are expensive or that you need money upfront in order to work with one. In other words, you need to be wealthy to afford one.
Here’s the thing: That assumption doesn’t apply to car accident attorneys. The vast majority of motor vehicle accident lawyers work on what’s called a contingency fee arrangement. Here’s how it works: You pay nothing to hire the attorney. The attorney takes your case and does all the work at their own expense. If the case results in a settlement or verdict in your favor, the attorney receives a pre-agreed percentage of that recovery as their fee. If the case doesn’t result in compensation, you owe nothing.
“This means that they don’t get paid until you are ultimately compensated for the damages you’ve suffered as a result of the at-fault party’s negligence,” Lipsig, Freund & Wisell, PLLC mentions.
This structure exists because the legal system realizes that injured people shouldn’t be locked out of representation simply because they don’t have cash on hand. The contingency model also serves to align your attorney’s financial interest with yours. They only get paid when you get paid, which means they’re motivated to maximize your recovery rather than bill hours.
It’s worth pointing out that initial consultations are also free with most car accident attorneys. You sit down, explain what happened, and get an honest assessment of whether you have a case and what it might be worth. There’s no obligation or cost. Again, this lowers the barriers and ensures anyone can get representation.
- They Know What Your Case Is Worth
Insurance companies count on the fact that most people don’t know the true value of their claim. When you’ve never been through the process before, a settlement offer of $15,000 or $20,000 can sound like a lot of money, especially when you’re out of work and bills are stacking up. What you don’t know is whether that offer is worth like 30 percent of the claim’s true value.
Car accident attorneys handle these cases constantly. They know what similar injuries settle for in your jurisdiction. They also know how to calculate future medical costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, etc. So when an insurance company is lowballing, they can call them out on the spot.
Studies have consistently shown that claimants who hire attorneys recover significantly more in compensation than those who handle claims on their own. This is true even after the attorney’s fee is deducted.
- They Handle More Than Just the Other Driver’s Insurance
Car accident claims often involve more insurance policies and more parties than people realize. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance is the obvious one. But depending on your situation, there may be additional sources of coverage and compensation that an attorney identifies.
- Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage comes into play if the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your losses.
- Medical payments coverage on your own policy might cover immediate medical expenses regardless of fault.
- If the accident involved a commercial vehicle, the company that owns the vehicle carries separate coverage.
- If a road defect or malfunctioning traffic signal contributed to the accident, a government entity might bear partial responsibility.
An experienced attorney maps out every potential source of coverage and every potentially responsible party. This is the kind of work that most people wouldn’t know how to do or even think to do on their own.
Don’t Do This on Your Own
Car accidents are complicated. So if you’re thinking about representing yourself, it would be wise to think again and reconsider the implications. As you can see, motor vehicle accident attorneys do a lot more than you think. Hiring one could be the smartest decision you make.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
