How Car Accident Lawyers Generally Handle Injury Cases

When a person has been seriously injured because of a driver's reckless behavior, they may envision filing a lawsuit and being awarded a large sum in court. In reality, these types of cases are nearly always settled out of court. The insurance company is not obligated to pay more than the policy's maximum, and the driver might not have enough assets to make suing worthwhile. Nevertheless, hiring car accident lawyers is advisable if the insurer disputes the claim or offers unreasonably low compensation.

Time Frame

Settling outside of court moves the case along swiftly so that funds from the insurer are paid faster. If the insurance company has already made a settlement offer that the person believes is too low, the attorney works to negotiate a more reasonable outcome.

In contrast, filing suit against a large corporation and proceeding to trial could take years. The insurer has its own team of lawyers to defend against a plaintiff. In addition, civil court dockets tend to be booked for many months ahead. 

Claim Disputes

Insurance companies sometimes dispute cases or offer low payments because their adjusters believe the injured person was partly at fault. Hiring an accident attorney is valuable for confirming that the other driver was completely liable. The lawyer investigates and evaluates all the evidence, then presents the case as it favors the client. 

For instance, police records may show that the person who was injured was moving 10 miles per hour above the speed limit on that highway. Even so, however, that behavior may not have significantly increased the risk of a collision on a four-lane highway without much traffic at the time. Although it is illegal and inadvisable, large numbers of drivers travel well above the speed limit on freeways without incident.

Verifying Fault

The accident lawyer verifies that the other driver was at fault because of careless or reckless behavior. That individual may have been darting back and forth between lanes in an effort to get past cars. Alternatively, the driver might have been under the influence of alcohol. Attempting to enter the highway from a side street or business driveway in oncoming traffic is a particularly dangerous move.

Additional Compensation

The lawyer will request more compensation from the insurance company if this is justified. The attorney may realize that the client deserves additional compensation beyond payment of medical expenses, physical and occupational therapy, and lost income. For instance, an extra amount might be demanded for emotional trauma and a certain number of psychotherapy appointments. 

Anyone dealing with this type of situation needs an attorney. Contact a car accident attorney for more information. 

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