After a Fort Lauderdale car accident, we recommend hiring a lawyer as soon as possible. Without a lawyer, you may jeopardize your legal rights – and your right to seek fair financial compensation for your injuries. The sooner your attorney can get to work building your case, the sooner you can submit your claim to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Although you may not experience symptoms at the crash scene, you may sustain serious injuries that leave you unable to work and in need of long-term medical treatment. Getting a financial settlement for your injuries may be the only way to ensure that you get the medical care and support you need to recover and get your life back on track.
Why You May Want To Hire A Lawyer Immediately After Your Car Accident
Only you can decide whether working with a lawyer following a car accident is right for you.
However, you may want to consider getting a lawyer for a car accident if:
- The liable insurance company denies or undervalues your claim.
- You are unsure of how much your non-economic damages are worth.
- You are not confident in your ability to represent yourself.
- You are unfamiliar with the process of bringing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
- You need help assigning fault and liability for your accident.
The sooner you can put a car accident lawyer to work on your behalf, the better the outcome of your case can be. Here are just a few services a lawyer can provide:
Investigation
The evidence from a crash can degrade over time. So, the sooner your lawyer can start to analyze and collect information, the more complete and accurate your claim can be.
A car accident attorney can independently investigate your car accident case. The laws surrounding car accidents can be complex. Insurance companies are vested in offering you the lowest possible settlement regarding your car accident and injuries. You could benefit by hiring a lawyer to:
- Obtain the official police report
- Interview witnesses
- Hire expert witnesses
- Build your case
An independent investigation will accurately present your case either for negotiations with an insurance company or in a court of law.
This investigation can also determine which party is at fault. Under certain circumstances, a victim can receive compensation from the other driver. A car accident attorney may be able to help you navigate through the insurance laws to determine the compensation you are legally entitled to receive.
Calculate Losses
A car accident lawyer can calculate your losses correctly and accurately and then decide regarding the fair compensation you should receive.
Often, you can be injured seriously or permanently. These long-term injuries will need to be compensated and calculated appropriately. Future medical bills and pain and suffering can be complicated to calculate. Hiring an attorney can ensure that your legal rights to pursue the full claim for financial compensation that you deserve are protected.
Negotiate With Insurance Companies
One of the most important benefits of hiring a car accident attorney is their ability to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Your attorney can handle all communication with an insurance company and negotiate to recover all the compensation you deserve.
Sometimes, an insurance company will attempt to delay a settlement or procrastinate on negotiations with a victim. Insurance companies have also been known to offer low settlements and delay offers. Many victims hire an attorney to ensure that they will get the compensation they are owed in a timely manner.
Statute Of Limitations
A statute of limitations is a deadline by which you must file your lawsuit regarding your car accident in a court of law. One of the benefits of hiring an attorney is that they can ensure you do not miss this deadline.
When Must I Deal With Car Insurance Companies?
You must report your accident as soon as possible to your insurance company. If another driver had fault for the accident, that person’s insurance company may also ask you to make a statement on the record – typically a recorded statement.
Unfortunately, you may not realize how even the most benign statements can give the insurance company ammunition to deny your claim.
The Many Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer
Although no laws or regulations require you to retain the services of a car accident lawyer in Florida, having an attorney offers several significant benefits:
- A car accident lawyer can protect your legal rights and ensure that you can pursue a legal claim for financial compensation.
- If you sustained serious injuries, such as a long-term or permanent disability, you will need a way to pay for your care and any medical treatments you will need in the future.
- Likewise, if you cannot work for some time, or if your injuries have permanently compromised your ability to earn a living, you could use a settlement to ensure you can pay your bills and care for yourself (and your family, if applicable) in the future.
Although you could attempt to assemble your claim and submit it to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you could have a difficult time getting paid. The insurance company and their lawyers do not care about your well-being. They care about minimizing their liability.
When injury accident victims try to work directly with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, their lawyers often attempt to either deny the claim or offer a token settlement. And, if you agree to a small settlement, they will require you to sign away any future legal right to seek compensation.
In addition,you may inadvertently make statements to the insurance company that they can interpret as an admission of liability. Your lawyer will deal with the insurance company on your behalf to ensure your protection.
What Kind Of Settlement Can A Car Accident Lawyer Get Me?
If you contact a car accident lawyer immediately after your accident, they can get a jump on gathering evidence and building your claim.
Your claim will typically include all your medical bills, care costs, and lost wages. If your injuries will prevent you from working in the future, your lawyer can calculate the value of your future lost income and loss of earning capacity. If you will need ongoing treatment, your lawyer can also include your estimated future medical and care costs.
Your claim may also include pain and suffering, as well as the value for any permanent disability or long-term injuries.
How Can A Car Accident Lawyer Help You Recover Compensation?
Your lawyer can review your employment records, medical bills, property damage receipts, and other pieces of information to arrive at an accurate estimation regarding your damages. If you are unsure of what your case is worth, you may want to get a lawyer for a car accident.
A Lawyer Can Determine The Cause Of Your Car Accident
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) notes that, in 2021, the state of Florida saw 401,482 motor vehicle accidents, resulting in 252,924 injuries. Your lawyer would need to determine the cause of your accident to establish fault and liability for your out-of-pocket expenses.
Some causes for your collision may include:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Failing to signal when changing lanes
- Failing to obey posted traffic signals
- Failing to adapt to inclement weather conditions
- Vehicular malfunction
Your lawyer can review the circumstances of the crash and explain their findings. You may be able to recover compensation from multiple entities. In this situation, managing communications between multiple parties can be complicated. This is where a lawyer can help you.
How Will My Car Accident Lawyer Prove The At-Fault Driver’s Liability?
To prove that the other driver has responsibility for your injuries and damages, your car accident lawyer can demonstrate the four legal elements of negligence:
- Duty of care–Motorists owe a duty of care to the public and to others who share the road with them. This includes the duty to follow the law, obey speed limit signs, and not drink and drive, etc.
- Breach of duty–If another motorist drives drunk, texts and drives, drives aggressively, etc., they violate their duty of care.
- Causation–If the at-fault driver’s breach of duty led to an accident, and that accident caused you to suffer significant injury, their breach makes them legally liable for your damages.
- Actual damages–After establishing the at-fault driver’s negligence, your lawyer must provide proof that you sustained actual (provable) damages. Your attorney can demonstrate actual damages by providing copies of your doctor bills and other evidence to prove your lost wages, future medical treatment needs, etc.
Call Our Law Firm Today For A Free Case Review
If you live in Florida, you can call for a free consultation with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, so you can make an informed choice about your future. Contact our office to learn more.
We Can Help.
