After An Auto Accident, Do Not Do These Things Without A Personal Injury Lawyer
Corbin Sutter
Traffic Accidents
In addition to the terrible effects of an auto accident or a car crash, there is the hassle of going through certain steps during the aftermath. Reduce all the unnecessary stress so you can focus on your recovery by not doing the following things without a personal injury lawyer.Claim Responsibility
The default belief of many drivers is that an accident is not their fault. If you happen to be the rare one to quickly claim responsibility for an auto accident, there are some things you must consider. Even if the circumstances of the car crash make it look as though you are the one at fault, you must not automatically take that as a fact. If you are convinced that you are in the wrong, you may feel it is right to come out and admit it, but you are not doing your due diligence in such a situation.
Right after an accident occurs, not all details are readily available or concluded. Most likely, you have not seen all the angles of the incident, which could be why it initially looks bad from your perspective. It is also possible that your emotions are clouding your judgment or you have been physically harmed and thus cannot think clearly. Therefore, claiming responsibility is not the correct thing to do.
Even if it is your fault, you are not going to be the one to determine it anyway. That is the job of law enforcement authorities. In some cases, the judgment is passed on to the courts. Your best recourse is to have a personal injury lawyer by your side through the entire ordeal.
Settle
Whatever the extent of property or personal damage that an auto accident causes, it is not the most difficult aspect of the situation to deal with. The process of resolving an auto accident becomes more complicated once medical professionals, police officers, insurance adjusters, and attorneys come into the picture. As a result, you and the other party may feel inclined to make things simpler. You both may want to shake hands and enter into an agreement between yourselves. But that is a mistake. There is a way to “get it over with” without having to accept the first offer you are given.
Dealing with the authorities is a matter of necessity. Medical professionals are there to determine the extent of injuries and treat them. Law enforcement officers are required to record and report the incident. Insurance companies exist to provide and adjust financial claims for damages, and personal injury lawyers help you get the compensation you deserve. It is in your best interest to cooperate with all of them. To help you keep a clear perspective, it would be especially good for you to hire a car crash lawyer to help deal with them.
Speak To An Insurance Company
After an accident, the insurance companies on both sides will get involved and make an effort to reach out to each party. But it is no secret that as a business, insurance companies in general have a tendency to maximize their earnings by minimizing payouts for individual claims. Avoid speaking to insurance companies without the advice or presence of your auto accident attorney.
Talking to an insurance company, be it the other party’s or yours, puts you at risk of leaving money on the table for your potential claim. An insurance company might want to interview you for details regarding the accident or ask for a recorded statement from you among others. They can use these statements against you in the future and withhold you from claiming more compensation, even if you deserve it. You may prevent all of this from happening by not talking to your insurance company before making legal consultations.
File A Lawsuit
If you have an idea about how much you deserve, you should do whatever it takes to get it. Maximizing your claim is not necessarily a matter of greed; it is a matter of justice. If you wish to handle the situation on your own, you have the right to do so, especially if you are in the state of Florida. “Pro se” or self-help means opting to go through a legal proceeding without legal representation.
In most cases, this is not the most legally advisable path to take. If you are in Port Charlotte, Sarasota, or the Southwest Florida area and have access to the best legal resources there, why not take advantage of them? Personal injury laws and proceedings can get complicated, so it’s smart to hire an experienced legal team that knows the ins and outs of Florida law. Getting a lawyer reduces the chances of your lawsuit being dismissed. Most importantly, it eliminates the stress you’re bound to experience so you can focus on putting your life back together. If you are wondering whether hiring a personal injury lawyer helps maximize your financial recovery, the answer is yes.