When Should You Get a Car Accident Lawyer?
It is a fact that most people get a much larger settlement after a car accident if they get an accident lawyer to handle the case. There are almost no exceptions to this.
What is the Best Time to Contact Car Accident Attorney?
First and foremost, it is important to point out that you should get a car accident lawyer BEFORE you talk with the insurance company. In fact, if your insurance company calls you and wants to talk about the accident, the only thing you should tell them is you are turning the case over to an attorney to handle. Should the other driver’s insurance company call you, you should do the same. Their goal is to find a way to pin the blame on you so you should avoid any contact with them.
Car Accidents are Stressful
When you are in a car accident, even a minor one, it can rattle you to the point of not being able to think straight. You can easily make mistakes in those first few hours and first few days after an accident that can hurt your chances of getting a good settlement. This is especially true if you have been physically injured. The insurance companies know this and they may try to contact you during this time when you are the most vulnerable and before you realize you need a lawyer. Therefore, the most important thing to remember after a car accident is that you need to get a good car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Let the lawyer advise you and handle the details while you recuperate physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Another Reason to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
Insurance companies will take your case much more seriously if you are represented by an experienced lawyer. They will know they can’t “lowball” you or take advantage of the fact that they know much more about the legalities of the system than you do. Insurance companies are very profit driven. No matter how heartfelt the actors on insurance commercials appear to be, the top priority of any insurance company is to make as much money as possible. They make less profit if they pay out big settlements. Please remember: they will not be on your side, no matter what they may try to tell you or how comforting a tone of voice they use! They will be looking for ways to get out of paying you a settlement or pay you a much lower settlement than what you need to actually cover all of the injuries you have suffered resulting from the car accident.
Timing is also very important!
You should seek the counsel of a car accident lawyer, preferably one that has handled many similar cases, as soon as you possibly can. As time passes, you may lose the ability to contact witnesses and get their statements before they forget the details of what happened. You may not be documenting your case as well as you should be simply because you don’t know how. An attorney can be very helpful in this regard. They will know exactly how to best document your case to ensure you have all the evidence you need to get a good settlement. They will know how to lock down witnesses and other evidence as well.
We Specialize In Auto Accident Cases
A law firm that specializes in personal injury cases involving car accidents will have immediate access to a whole team of professionals to help build a strong case for you. These include medical experts, accident investigators, and liability experts. They will have access to experts that know things like what happens to the human body during a T-bone collision. They may even be able to re-create the scene of the accident to help fill in missing details that could be key to getting you a good settlement. It’s a lot like a detective at work gathering clues and hard data to help you win.
Court Systems
Law firms that handle a lot of car accident cases will know the local jurisdiction well. They will be familiar with all the judges and their particular proclivities. They will know the staff at the courthouse and can make paperwork flow much more easily. They will know the local customs and rules of the courtrooms. They will be familiar with the best doctors to handle different types of injuries. They will know how to expedite things should an issue arise such as difficulty in getting a police report and/or dealing with an inaccuracy in that report. They will know where to take the car to get it accessed.
Speak With a Car Accident Attorney
Another major advantage to getting a car accident lawyer to handle your case is the fact that they can take a great deal of pressure off of you! This can help give you the time and peace of mind that you need to recuperate. You’ll be able to get a gut feeling about how well an attorney and his or her law firm takes care of their clients during the first consultation. Usually, that gut feeling is right so don’t ignore it. The May Firm handles a high volume of car accident cases and has been very successful at getting good settlements for their clients. They are licensed in California with offices in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
