As an accident victim, you may have the right to pursue compensation for your personal and punitive damages per your state’s personal injury laws. These seven reasons highlight why you should meet with a personal injury lawyer after a wreck to determine the best course of legal action.
1. Legal Advice
If you wonder if you have a case to pursue, you can find out for sure by meeting with a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney who practices in this area of law has the experience to assess the situation objectively and explain to you if you have a valid case. You can also find out the timeline you have for filing the case and pursuing compensation to which you are entitled.
2. Claim Valuation
Your attorney can also place a monetary value on your damages. Every state has its own formula for determining how much compensation you can ask for in court. The lawyer you meet with can tell you what you could receive in either a judgment or settlement.
3. Legal Competency
The legal team working for your lawyer will also know what paperwork to file and to what court clerk to send the documents for your case. You avoid having to figure out how to file this paperwork on your own. You can have your attorney include the costs of filing the documents in the fee you pay for his or her services.
4. Investigation and Evidence Gathering
A personal injury lawyer can also investigate your accident and find out exactly what happened. This legal representative can gather evidence to present to a judge or jury, if necessary.
The process of gathering information can include interviewing eyewitnesses. It can also involve securing the accident report from law enforcement and subpoenaing any video footage.
5. Confident Advocacy
If the thought of going up against another attorney on your own frightens you, you can avoid this fear by hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you. Your attorney will have the confidence to represent and advocate for you assertively. This representative will also refuse to give in to scare tactics that might have otherwise convinced you to drop your case if you were to represent yourself.
6. Negotiation
Part of this advocacy can involve negotiating with the responsible party. Your attorney can negotiate a settlement if you prefer to keep the case out of court. You can obtain a reasonable amount, one that would be close to what you would get with a judgment, to compensate you accordingly for your property and punitive damages.
7. Focus on Recovery
Finally, when you retain a law firm, you can focus on your recovery. You avoid having to stress yourself physically and emotionally with your case. Your attorney can handle the case on your behalf and also argue for you in court, allowing you to rest and recuperate better.
A personal injury lawyer can provide you with critical legal assistance after a wreck. You can pursue compensation and gain assertive and skillful representation in and out of court.
