As careful as you may be in everyday life, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Nowhere is that more true than when you’re driving.
There are more than 200 million licensed drivers in the United States and as careful as you might be as a driver, not everyone drives the same way. More than a million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence in 2015. Distracted driving claimed nearly 4,000 lives in 2015 and more than three million people are injured annually on U.S. roads.
While the odds of dying in a car accident are only 1 in 645, your chances of being involved in one are greater. In fact, it’s estimated that the average driver is involved in three or four car accidents in their lifetime. That means there’s a lot of potential for personal injury to occur, life-altering injuries even.
Chances are good you’ve seen your share of ads for lawyers, representing everyday people who have been involved in a car accident. You might scoff at them, but if you’re ever in a serious car accident, a day may come where you need one.
A personal injury lawyer can offer many benefits to car accident victims. They can help you deal with your insurance company, especially if your insurance company is trying to talk you out of hiring a lawyer and potentially filing a lawsuit.
What else can a personal injury attorney or a car accident attorney do for you? They can help you figure out whether or not to go forward on lawsuits and will help guide you in filing a personal injury claim. If you’ve been in a serious car accident, a personal injury lawyer can help you:
- Navigate the legal process: If your life has been forever affected in a negative way as the result of a car accident, you may be scared, confused and unsure what to do next. More than 90% of personal injury cases are usually settled pretrial, but a personal injury attorney is experienced in handling personal injury cases and can help you navigate the process. An experienced attorney will also be smart enough to know all the angles of your situation: accessing your injuries, analyzing your pain, how the insurance company factors into the process and estimating what your future medical needs/costs may be.
- Get better compensation: If you’ve got a strong case, an attorney can help increase your compensation. It might not work out like in commercials where people are showered with millions of dollars, but rest assured, having a lawyer in your corner ensures that they will fight to get you a fair settlement. If you’ve been seriously injured, money won’t necessarily help you return to the way things were before, but it can help you if you’ve got mounting medical bills.
- Win: It’s true that legal advice isn’t free, but attorneys, especially those in car accident cases are motivated. That’s because they don’t get paid until you do. Money aside, your lawyer will also be motivated to settle your case quickly since tying it up in lengthy court proceedings helps nobody and makes it so that no one gets any sort of compensation.
- Be well represented in a trial: Most personal injury cases are settled pretrial, but a good and experienced lawyer won’t be afraid to take your case to trial if need be. Should it go to trial, your odds of winning go up by a lot. An experienced attorney won’t be afraid to go to bat for you in a trial and that confidence may force an insurance company hand and they might give in and give you the compensation you’re looking for.
Being seriously injured in a car accident can be a horrific, life-changing experience. If you’ve been injured and want to pursue an insurance claim or a lawsuit, don’t hesitate to call a personal injury law firm. A lawyer will be motivated to help you out, can help you navigate through complicated legal processes, isn’t afraid to go to trial for you and ultimately can help you get a fair settlement.