Why You Should Hire an Accident Attorney An experienced accident attorney can take care of all the legal details of your claim, and can take on the tasks that you can't complete on your own. This includes collecting evidence, filing the proper paperwork, and making contact with insurance companies. Top car accident lawyers have extensive experience in preparing for trials and trying cases that are worth millions of dollars. This means they are less likely to resolve a case for less than you deserve. Legal Advice Car accidents can be traumatic and disrupt your life. You may suffer injuries or property damage, and even lose your income. You can enjoy peace of assurance by having someone guide you through the legal system. This allows you to focus on healing. It is not necessary to engage a NYC lawyer for car accidents, but it could make a huge difference in obtaining compensation for your losses. When you first talk to an attorney, they will provide you with guidance on whether it's the best option for you to make a claim through the at-fault driver's insurance company or your own through your personal injury protection, or PIP, provision. The law firm of Anidjar & Levine will also guide you through the process of filing an insurance claim and inform you of the most common mistakes. An experienced lawyer will go over your evidence and estimate the value of your case in terms or damages. This is based upon the circumstances of the incident, which include who was at fault your injuries, how long they'll last, the property damage loss of wages, and other factors. They will also determine if you're qualified for punitive damages which are meant to penalize defendants who have been involved in particularly harmful or shady behavior. Your lawyer will collect evidence to back up your claim. This includes witness contact information, photos from the scene of the incident, photographs showing your injuries, or anything else that they may require. They will also know which experts to engage, which documents to request from the party at fault and how to communicate directly with insurance companies to maximize your compensation. Your attorney will be your advocate at each step and fight for you. They will defend your rights, negotiate with the insurance companies, and present your case to a judge or jury. They have the knowledge and know-how to earn you more cash than if you dealt with the claim process on your own. In the end, your decision to hire an attorney will be based on your comfort level with managing the legal process on your own. Gathering Evidence Evidence is crucial in any legal proceeding to establish the facts of an accident and establish liability for your damages. Car accident cases are no exception. Evidence may include witness testimony documents, physical objects and much more. In general anything that will make your argument more likely to be believed is considered evidence. Evidence that is not preserved as soon as possible after an accident could be lost, destroyed, or altered by weather conditions or other causes. It is essential to revisit and take photos of the accident scene if you can. Photographs can provide a wealth of information such as the extent of destruction to vehicles and other objects as well as the location of stop signs traffic signals and road conditions and weather conditions, as well as skid marks. Note everything you remember about the incident. This includes the details of how it occurred and who is responsible. The written account is essential if you have trouble recalling details later on, and will aid your lawyer in understanding all the details of the incident. If there are any witnesses, you should get their names and contact information at the scene. Ask them if they witnessed the crash and if they are willing to testify at trial. Also, if you own a cell phone, you should record any footage of the crash or its aftermath that is available. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you must take photos of all visible bruising or other physical symptoms of discomfort. This is especially crucial if your injuries are serious, and could help you prove the impact of your accident as well as the extent of your losses. It is also recommended that you request medical records from your doctor or hospital as quickly as possible following your accident. These documents will reveal your physical and emotional suffering, as well as your medical expenses. These records are required to support any claims you may make regarding medical expenses, lost wages or repairs to your vehicle. Your insurance company will also utilize them to calculate the amount of compensation you'll receive. Negotiating with Insurance Companies Insurance companies have their own interests in mind, and they will take any step to cut down on the amount they pay an accident victim. It is for this reason that retaining a personal injury attorney is so crucial. Your lawyer will be your advocate, and they are ethically required to act with your best interests in mind throughout the legal process. They will collect evidence, such as police reports and photographs, and witness statements. Additionally, they'll also collaborate with experts like accident recreation teams and forensic specialists to determine the cause of your accident. In addition they will scrutinize any and all accountable parties such as the car manufacturer as well as the city that is responsible for road maintenance or even the bar that served the intoxicated driver. After your lawyer has gathered all the evidence relevant to the case and evidence, they will draft an offer package and send it to the insurance company. The demand package will include all medical documents along with bills, damages to your property along with lost wages, future earnings and any other expenses you've suffered as a consequence of the accident. The insurance company will then look over the evidence and determine your losses. The insurance company will then provide a settlement offer and you may decide to accept or continue to bargain. If you do not agree with the initial settlement offer, your attorney will help you decide what to do next. They will examine your demands and examine your injuries as well as the evidence to determine if you are entitled to more compensation. They will then negotiate with the insurance provider to reach a fair and equitable settlement. It is essential to remember that your lawyer will never take any less than you deserve. Your lawyer will let the insurance company know that they are working for you and will do everything they can to prevent paying more than you should. One common tactic employed by the insurance companies is to make you feel pressured to accept the lowest price. The reason for this is due to the fact that they know that if you choose to hire a lawyer they are likely to have to spend more money in the end, and they'd rather avoid this at all cost. Filing an action Attorneys who specialize in car accidents know how to gather and organize evidence to help you prove your claim. They also have negotiated with insurance adjusters for hundreds of hours and are not afraid to go to court if needed. They will ensure that the insurance company pays you enough money to cover medical expenses as well as ongoing treatment costs or lost wages, as well as other financial losses. A lawyer who has experience can help determine the amount of compensation you're entitled according to your injuries and the impact they have on your life. This includes calculating future medical costs as well as past and future lost earnings, emotional trauma, physical pain and any permanent impairments you have suffered. The law says that you are entitled to recover the compensation you incurred from the person at fault. If you attempt to take on an insurance company on your own, you are likely to get much less than you require. Hiring an attorney to deal with the insurance company on your behalf is the best way to avoid this situation. If you have been injured in a crash it is important to seek medical treatment as soon as you can. Even the injuries you sustained aren't obvious, a doctor's visit will establish the causal link between the accident and your injuries. This is essential to establishing your claim, and may provide additional damages that you are entitled to. Many car accidents happen as a result of negligence by another driver. In these situations you could be able to make a claim for injuries against the insurer of the driver who was at fault or your own insurer. A lawyer is familiar with these claims and the statutes of limitation (time limitations for filing lawsuits) that may bar your claim if it is not make a claim on time. An experienced New York car accident attorney can give you the information you require to make an informed decision about the next steps. Contact Davis, Saperstein & Salomon today to request a no-cost review of your case, with no obligation and to find out more about how we can help you receive the compensation you require to recover.