What Does a Car Accident Attorney Do?

How Will an Auto Accident Attorney Help Protect Your Rights?

You’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident because another motorist acted carelessly. The other motorist may or may not acknowledge that he was in the wrong. When do you need to hire a car accident attorney? Shouldn’t you be able to get what you need without having to spend money on a lawyer? To have the best chance of getting full and fair compensation for your losses, it’s always in your best interests to retain experienced legal counsel. In virtually every instance, even after paying attorney fees, you end up with more money in your own bank account.

What Will a Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney Do for Me?

A skilled and knowledgeable car accident lawyer will help you at every stage of recovery for your losses:

• The initial steps in the legal process—An attorney will go to work for you immediately, acting as your intermediary with insurance companies, as well as with the other party. Your lawyer will make certain that you don’t say or do anything to jeopardize your claim. They will typically move swiftly to identify all potential witnesses, obtain statements from them, and preserve all physical evidence related to the accident. Your attorney will also ensure that you file any required legal documents in a timely manner.
• Investigation of the accident—Your lawyer will investigate the facts and circumstances related to your accident, traveling to the scene of the accident, if necessary. He will carefully question all potential witnesses, and will engage expert witnesses, when appropriate, to put together compelling arguments that can be understood by a jury.
• Negotiation of a settlement, if appropriate—Most court dockets are bursting at the seams. For that reason, judges encourage parties to consider an out-of-court settlement. Your lawyer will know when it’s in your best interests to settle, instead of going to trial. Your lawyer should also have a good sense of what your case is worth, as well as the skills and experience to negotiate a settlement that meets your needs.
• Full compensation for your losses—An attorney understands all the damages you may be able to recover. They’ll also know how to calculate compensation for such things as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship/consortium.
• Representation in court hearings, meetings, and other proceedings—Even if your case never goes to trial, you can expect a number of hearings as you move toward settlement. Often, at the first meeting with the judge, there will be pressure to settle the case. An experienced attorney will know if it makes sense for you to consider early settlement. If your lawsuit moves forward, you’ll have meetings, depositions, motion hearings, and other proceedings where you’ll want an attorney to protect your rights.
• Representation at trial—If you don’t settle your claim, you want an attorney to handle all the details of going to trial— selection of jurors, evidentiary hearings, and preparation of jury instructions, as well as the introduction of evidence, direct and cross examination of witnesses, and presentation of opening and closing arguments.

Summary

Anytime you’re injured in a car accident, you want to immediately retain experienced legal counsel to protect your rights. A proven auto accident attorney will ensure that you don’t do or say anything that jeopardizes your rights to full and fair compensation. Your lawyer will file all documents in a timely manner, obtain all evidence and enter it into the record, and serve as your advocate in settlement discussions and other proceedings.