Five Reasons Why You Should Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident President Abraham Lincoln, who was also a lawyer, said something similar to this: "A person who is his own lawyer (or she) has a fool for a client." Anyone involved in a car accident with injuries should immediately contact a personal injury attorney, including those who think they may have caused the accident. Contact us for a free consultation . Do this before you talk to anyone about the accident. Talk to an attorney before saying anything about the accident to health care providers, family, friends, or anyone from any insurance company. Here are the five reasons why you should hire an attorney after a car accident:
1. Defense Perhaps you caused the accident, or are partially at fault, or were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the car accident occurred. Passengers in your vehicle may have been injured. All of these reasons and more require the representation of legal counsel to ensure that you defend yourself against legal liability and possible criminal prosecution.
2. Determination and proof of guilt California and other states have “fault” laws for negligence. Car accident injury victims must prove another party's fault in order to create liability for what happened and receive compensation. Proving who or what caused an accident is a complex process. In many cases, the parties share responsibility for causing the accident. There is often an intense dispute over who is to blame. Proof of guilt may require accumulating technical data, witness reports, taking statements (interviews), and having expert witness testimony. A person without a lawyer is ill-equipped to take on a challenge like proving guilt.
3. Get an agreement to pay Without the representation of a personal injury attorney, insurance adjusters are reluctant to approve a settlement to pay. An insurance adjuster's job is to pay as little as possible for settlements and, if possible, pay nothing at all. Studies show that an attorney represents 85% of those who receive a personal injury settlement. Only 15% of cases are resolved without the benefit of an attorney. Those people probably received an insufficient amount to compensate them for their injuries.
4. Continuous medical conditions