Car accidents, unfortunately, are not uncommon occurrences. You may not know that it is always important to speak with a car accident lawyer after being involved in an accident, though. We will explain why, and what else you need to do following a car accident. Continue reading so that you can be prepared if you or a loved one is involved in a car accident.
Get Checked Out by Your Primary Care Physician
One of the most important things to do after being involved in a car accident is going to see a doctor to check you for injuries. Even if you feel like you are fine, your adrenaline may be covering up some pain that you incurred from the accident.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
Before speaking with anyone else, you need to reach out to an experienced car accident lawyer to retain representation. Most will offer a free initial consultation, which is a great way to see if your lawyer will be a good fit for your case. Then, many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay them if your lawyer wins your case. Your lawyer will be able to speak to the other parties on your behalf, which is very important because your lawyer will not say anything that could potentially jeopardize your case. Insurance agents in particular try to seem like they are on your side, but secretly try to get you to settle for less than your case is really worth.
Negotiate a Settlement or Go to Court
Your lawyer will help you determine the best option each step of the way. He or she may speak to an insurance agent on your behalf to try to negotiate a fair settlement payout. This would be nice, as you will not have to battle anything out in court, but it may not be able to negotiate something that is fair for you. You should not only have all of your past medical bills covered, but also have everything in the future taken care of, all of the property damages taken care of, and even lost wages due to missed work paid for by the at fault party. If your lawyer’s calculations for an insurance settlement do not work out, you will likely need to go to court. Contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible after being involved in an accident so that you can begin building a case to get what you deserve.
