Did you know that U.S. state courts process and handle over 100 million cases annually?
Many of those legal matters fall under personal injury law. It’s a branch of the legal system that deals with cases involving harm to others caused by another party. So even if it may have been an accident, the latter can still be at fault due to their negligence.
Below are the top benefits you can expect from hiring one, so please read on.
- Focus On Healing and Recovering
Many accidents cause short- and long-term injuries, disabilities, and physical and emotional trauma.
Let’s use car accident cases as an example, considering how common these incidents are. In the U.S. alone, they occur at a rate of over 6 million a year. They can cause one or more of the following:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Neck injury (e.g., whiplash injury)
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Fractures
- Burns
- Internal injuries
- Psychological trauma
Even if the injuries are minor, they can still take over a month or two to heal.
In more severe cases, symptoms can last up to six months, even years after the incident. An example is chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). It affects an estimated 50% of patients who sustain whiplash injuries.
Poor or insufficient recovery can raise your risk for long-term injury symptoms. Thus, giving yourself as much time as possible to heal and recover from your injuries is vital.
While adequate recovery time is crucial, it can leave you little time to file an accident claim. Fortunately, an accident lawyer can help with the entire claims process. From collecting evidence to filing the claim, you can have an attorney do all that for you while you heal and rest.
- Free Initial Advice and Consultation
The most reputable accident lawyers offer free, non-obligatory case assessments.
During these free consultations, accident attorneys review your case’s details. From there, they can determine your case’s merits and how much it’s worth. They also use this time to discuss their fees and payment arrangements if you hire them.
Non-obligatory means you don’t have to hire a lawyer just because they provided advice. Thus, you can use it to your advantage when comparing and choosing accident attorneys.
You can then hire the lawyer who makes you feel most comfortable. Then, thank the rest for their time without worrying about paying them a penny.
- Start the Claims Process ASAP
It’s vital to begin the claims process immediately because of the deadlines you have to meet. For example, some auto insurers require filing a claim 24 hours from the time of the incident. Others set deadlines ranging from 30 to 60 days.
Employers also set deadlines for reporting workplace incidents. How long you have depends on the severity of the injury.
In most cases, you must report injuries like amputations or eye loss within 24 hours of the incident. The same applies to hospitalizations due to job-related accidents. However, if you have less severe injuries, you may have two to four weeks to report them.
If you miss any of those deadlines, you may no longer be able to receive compensation. That’s why it’s crucial to begin the accident claims process as soon as possible. If you can’t, consider hiring an accident lawyer to work on your behalf.
An added benefit of having a lawyer is ensuring immediate evidence collection. You want to start this ASAP, as evidence can degrade or even disappear.
The good news is that reliable accident attorneys offer their services 24/7. That means you can contact them for advice, regardless of the time or day. Then, you can hire them after the free consultation so they can start the claims process immediately.
- Improve Your Chances of Winning
According to Alphaaccidentlawyers.com, you can retain accident lawyers on a contingency basis. That means you don’t have to pay them legal fees unless and until they win your case.
Thus, such legal professionals have every reason to strive hard and win your case. After all, losing means that they also stand to lose their income.
When an accident lawyer wins your case, that’s the only time you pay them for their services. It can be anywhere from a quarter to a third of your compensation or the amount you recover.
That’s another incentive for a lawyer to win your case and get maximum compensation. Because the higher the recovery they can secure for you, the higher their payment.
- Avoid Agreeing to an Unfair Settlement
As per the most recent available data, the 2021 net premiums written by U.S. insurers totaled $1.4 trillion. However, that figure doesn’t include what they made from low settlement offers. Some even profit from denying claims, even valid ones.
If you’ve been in an accident and your insurer’s offer is too low, contact an accident lawyer ASAP. Do the same if it’s taking your insurance company a long time to respond to your request. They may be intentionally delaying the start of your claims process.
Better yet, hire a lawyer from the beginning, so you don’t have to deal with insurers yourself. Instead, your attorney will handle all correspondence and negotiations with the insurers. They’ll also ensure the insurance company’s settlement offer is fair.
You, in turn, can continue to heal and recover from your injuries with fewer hassles and less stress.
Let an Accident Lawyer Fight for Your Rights
Treating injuries from accidents can cost thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Severe injuries can also lead to chronic symptoms or a lifetime of pain and suffering. All because of someone else’s doing or negligence.
Thus, if someone has caused you harm or injured you, consider hiring an accident lawyer. Your attorney can help ensure you receive the fair compensation you deserve.
For more law-related guides like this, please browse our other informative blog posts.