Involved in a recent auto accident? Hopefully, the accident was minor and no one was seriously injured. Regardless, you should consult a lawyer specializing in car accident cases to make sure that your interests are protected.
Although many people assume that in most cases you can simply let the insurance companies sort things out, this could leave you vulnerable to legal or financial harm. Here are some examples of how an auto accident expert can help you avoid any serious negative consequences of a vehicular mishap.
Investigation
Naturally, the local police will file a report on the accident and do an assessment of who is at fault, if anyone. But did you know that the insurer is not obligated to merely accept the police report and may perform its own investigation?
Insurance companies often investigate car accident claims to prevent fraud. According to a prominent industry trade group, more than fifteen percent of claims are fraudulent. If an insurer decides to take a closer look at your claim, a good attorney will make sure that your rights are protected during the process.
Injuries
Obviously, if you have any severe injuries from an accident, only an experienced attorney has the expertise to determine if a settlement offer by the other party's insurer is acceptable. Less obvious, however, is that many injuries do not show themselves immediately.
Back injuries and nerve injuries often do not present themselves until some time has passed after a crash. One key point to keep in mind is that some problems, such as whiplash, might go undetected after an accident, as they do not show up on an X-ray. Due to the nature of such injuries, it's sometimes difficult for a layperson to avoid accepting a settlement offer prematurely unless they have professional guidance.
Evidence
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you might need to gather evidence to show that you were not at fault for the crash. This is a crucial issue because most states are "at fault" states, meaning the driver at fault is liable for damages.
If any key piece of evidence is overlooked, it could mean that you will be held liable for an accident that was not actually your fault. Clearly, this is not a risk that you want to take. Gathering the relevant evidence is best done by a trained expert, such as a car accident attorney.
Contact a local auto accident lawyer to learn more.
Share21 June 2022
