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When To Hire An Attorney After A Car Accident

When To Hire An Attorney After A Car Accident

There is no question about when to hire an attorney after a car accident—as soon as possible. Those who wait to hire an attorney risk missing their filing deadline, failing to obtain critical evidence of negligence, and having their rights violated by insurers or other liable parties.

You can speak with car accident lawyers at no cost and with no risk. Whether you have obvious injuries, have lost a loved one, or have yet to discover injuries, it cannot hurt to speak with an experienced car accident attorney in Orland Park.

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Why Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Right Away Is the Best Decision

There is simply no reason to wait to hire your car accident attorney. Conversely, there are several important reasons why waiting to hire your lawyer can have devastating immediate and long-term consequences.

Some of the most notable reasons for hiring your lawyer as soon as possible are:

  • The possibility that someone will violate your rights: Among their other roles, a car accident attorney protects you and your case. Until you hire a lawyer, you may have to deal directly with insurance companies. This allows insurers or other liable parties to violate your rights and potentially harm your case for compensation.
  • The urgency your car accident claim requires: Your attorney will face several time-sensitive responsibilities including obtaining evidence and documenting your medical treatment. If you wait to retain a car accident attorney, your case can suffer as a direct consequence.
  • The statute of limitations for a car accident lawsuit: Most plaintiffs in car accident cases have a limited window for filing lawsuits. In Illinois, you generally have only two years to file a lawsuit, per 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Countless plaintiffs have missed this deadline, and hiring a lawyer right away may ensure that you can file a lawsuit if you decide to.

There is also the importance of your recovery. Those who suffer injuries in car accidents may have little tolerance for stress. As soon as you hire a lawyer, you can direct your attention to recovery and avoid the stress that often comes with insurance claims and lawsuits.

How to Find a Proven Car Accident Attorney

Proven Car Accident AttorneyCar accident victims find highly effective attorneys through:

  • Searching online using terms like “car accident lawyer near me”
  • Requesting recommendations from trusted friends, family, and colleagues
  • Responding to local advertisements for car accident attorneys

When you are navigating the pool of potential car accident attorneys for your case, you may consider the following:

  • How many car accident victims the firm or attorney has represented
  • The results the firm has obtained in car accident cases, including both settlements and verdicts
  • The reviews of former clients, which can guide you to a law firm that respects and fights for its clientele
  • Whether the law firm is located near where your car accident happened

There may be other criteria that are important to you. You need to do your research before hiring a car accident lawyer, as a thorough vetting process can ensure you don’t have to switch lawyers. However, you should conduct your search urgently, as there is significant risk in waiting to retain your attorney.

Ask the Right Questions During Your Free Consultations

You can complete free consultations with any car accident attorney you are considering to handle your case. Some questions you might ask during consultations include:

  • How often does your firm practice in car accident cases?
  • How frequently will you communicate with me about the status of my case?
  • What will you do to ensure my satisfaction as a client?
  • What is your fee structure? Do you receive a fee only if you win my case?
  • What notable results have you achieved for other car accident victims?
  • What makes you qualified to handle my car accident case?

Do not hesitate to ask such questions, even if you find them to be straightforward—law firms cannot exist without clients, and you have a right to ask such questions.

Interacting with a law firm’s representatives can give you a sense of how the firm treats clients. You should also put stock in the quality and transparency of answers you receive (or don’t receive) to your questions.

What Do I Do Once I Hire My Car Accident Lawyer?

Many clients have expressed a sense of relief and peace when they hire a car accident attorney. This is because your attorney will immediately take over your case, freeing you of important but potentially stressful responsibilities.

All you have to do as the claimant or plaintiff is:

  • Answer your lawyer’s calls: Good car accident attorneys contact their clients frequently with case updates. Your attorney may need your input, including when insurers or other liable parties present a settlement offer. Be alert to your lawyer’s calls so they can move forward with your case as quickly as possible.
  • Contact your attorney with any case-related questions: You may have several questions throughout your case, and your lawyer is only a call away. If you need an update or instruction from your attorney, contact them right away. You should absolutely speak with your lawyer if you are considering doing anything case-related, like providing a statement to insurance companies.
  • Follow your doctor’s medical advice: Following doctors’ recommendations is critical to your recovery, first and foremost. Also, if you do not show that you’re focused on recovery, liable parties may use this against you. The first step in recovering is hiring a lawyer, and the second is sticking closely to your doctor’s treatment plan.
  • Receive any mental health treatment you need: Car accidents are associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a host of other psychological and emotional challenges. You may be seeking compensation for such pain and suffering and must receive the necessary treatment. This will not only benefit you but also prevent accusations that your pain and suffering are not as serious as you claim.
  • Refer insurance companies to your attorney: If insurance companies or anyone else involved in your case contacts you, refer them to your lawyer. This will ensure nobody can undermine your case, pressure you to accept an unfair settlement, or take other adverse action against you.

You must prioritize your health. Rest, receive treatment and rehabilitation, and do what you can to find some normalcy after your car accident. Your lawyer will handle the claims process and any lawsuit they file on your behalf.

What a Car Accident Attorney Will Do for You

As you heal, your lawyer will build the strongest case possible. Car accident attorneys typically build successful claims and lawsuits by:

Obtaining All Useful Evidence

Obtaining All Useful EvidenceConvincing evidence of negligence can be a launching pad for a large settlement or verdict. Your car accident attorney won’t waste a moment in gathering:

  • Eyewitness accounts detailing how the car accident happened
  • Video of the accident
  • Any police report filed after the collision
  • An expert’s reconstruction of the car accident
  • All other evidence that helps establish who is responsible for your accident

Circumstances permitting, your attorney will photograph vehicle damage and other scenes related to the collision. Law firms have ample resources for gathering evidence, which is one of the many reasons why so many accident victims hire attorneys.

Identifying Liable Parties

Your attorney’s investigation will help them determine who is liable for your accident-related damages. Those who can be responsible for a car accident include:

  • A motorist
  • Those with a legal relationship to a motorist, like their employer
  • The manufacturer of a defective vehicle
  • A municipality responsible for dangerous road conditions
  • An establishment that overserved an intoxicated motorist

These are just a few possibilities of who may be financially responsible for your accident-related damages. Leave it to your lawyer to determine exactly who should pay for your medical costs, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Proving Negligence

Negligence is the liability standard in insurance claims and civil cases. Your lawyer can prove negligence by:

  • Establishing that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care that required them to act in a reasonable manner
  • Proving the liable party violated their duty of care
  • Showing that the violation of duty of care was the cause of your car accident

Your attorney will then show proof of the damages you’ve suffered because of the accident.

Documenting Your Accident-Related Damages

Documentation of your accident-related damages may include:

  • Photographs of injuries
  • X-rays and other medical images of injuries
  • Evidence of lost income
  • Invoices for vehicle repairs
  • A mental health expert’s documentation of your pain and suffering
  • Doctors’ diagnoses of your injuries and their treatment recommendations

Effective car accident cases have detailed records of the victim’s economic and non-economic damages.

Calculating How Much Your Case Is Worth

As your lawyer documents your accident-related damages, they will determine the financial value of each one. This includes damages that do not typically have an obvious financial value, like pain and suffering.

If you face a long recovery timetable, have lasting pain and suffering, or face other long-term damages, a lawyer can project the accurate value of such future damages.

Negotiating a Settlement

Attorneys can begin negotiating settlements once they understand the cost of their client’s damages. Who your attorney negotiates with will depend on your unique case strategy.

Representing You in Any Lawsuit or Court Proceedings You Pursue

You may need to pursue a lawsuit if insurers or other liable parties will not offer a fair settlement. Car accident lawyers are well-versed in the process of filing and resolving lawsuits. When you hire your lawyer, you’ll know they can file and complete a lawsuit if you task them with doing so.

While most car accident cases don’t require a trial, yours might. Completing a court case with a lawyer in your corner should be no problem. This gives you the option and leverage of taking a case to court if insurance companies refuse to cooperate.

Your Damages Will Be Your Lawyer’s Primary Focus

The cost of car accidents often varies based on the severity of victims’ accident-related injuries. The severity of injuries is one factor in the types of damages you will suffer, which may include:

Pain and Suffering

Car Accident Pain and SufferingLawyers know that clients involved in car accidents don’t just suffer physically. You may also face a number of challenges that qualify as pain and suffering, including:

  • Immediate and long-term physical pain
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Lost sleep
  • Lost quality of life
  • Scarring and other types of disfigurement

Lawyers use the per diem and multiplier methods to calculate the financial value of pain and suffering. Your attorney will also include the cost of treating your pain and suffering in their settlement demands.

Lost Wages and Other Professional Damages

Injuries from car accidents can cause several professional damages, including:

  • Lost income
  • Missed opportunities for overtime compensation, bonuses, and promotions
  • Diminished earning power, which can result from reducing your hours, changing jobs, or making other professional changes because of injuries or pain and suffering

The details of your career will be relevant as your lawyer calculates such damages. Your attorney will consult your employer as necessary to understand the exact cost of your professional damages.

Vehicle Repairs and Other Property Expenses

Those who caused your car accident must pay to repair or replace your vehicle and any other property damaged during the collision. Your attorney will also seek compensation covering any temporary transportation you require.

Medical Expenses

Medical bills are among the most distressing and costly damages you may suffer because of the car accident. Your lawyer will demand that liable parties cover these expenses.

Can I Afford to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

Everyone can afford a car accident lawyer. Due to contingency fees, there is no upfront or out-of-pocket cost to retain an attorney. This client-focused fee structure removes any barrier you might otherwise have to hiring a capable car accident attorney.

Don’t wait to find your personal injury lawyer in Orland Park, as waiting can diminish your case and even prevent you from filing a lawsuit. Speak with prospective law firms and identify the right one to handle your case as soon as possible.

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