Many people do not contact a lawyer because they don’t understand fully
what they can do for them. However, it is actually very important to
contact an attorney as soon as you can after you have been injured in a
car accident. This one-step can save you a ton of heartache and
headaches later on down the road.
The first thing a lawyer will do for you is advise you on medical care.
If you have not sought out medical care already, the lawyer will
certainly tell you to do this. He or she will also likely advise you to
follow up with the medical care to ensure that you have addressed all of
your injuries completely until total recovery is achieved.
The
second thing the lawyer will do for you is work with the other party’s
insurance agency to ensure that your claim is processed completely and
correctly. Many insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid
paying out a claim. It is your attorney’s job to make sure that your
claim is not denied, and that you are approved for the maximum limits
allowed by the policy and your situation. The lawyer will make sure that
all of your medical bills are covered, and that your property damage is
covered.
Even though the attorney will make sure the insurance
company pays out to the full extent of the policy, there may be expenses
not covered by the insurance. If your medical bills exceed the maximum
benefit of the policy, you could have out of pocket expenses. The same
may be true if your car is a newer one and is completely totaled in the
accident. You may also have other expenses and losses that are not
covered by the policy, such as lost wages due to necessary time off
because of the accident or your injuries. If you have young children you
may also have child care expenses due to not being able to care for
your children. There is always the possibility of emotional distress as
well.
It is the duty of the lawyer to make sure you are compensated for these
losses. This is usually done by taking the other party to court in a
lawsuit. The lawyer will arrange everything, filing the necessary
paperwork and going to court to represent you in the case. He or she
will ensure that all possible compensation is sought in the lawsuit.
Once the lawsuit is won, the lawyer’s job is still not finished. You
have to make sure that you actually get the money that you were awarded.
This is accomplished typically through wage garnishment of the guilty
party. Wage garnishment is difficult if not impossible to obtain without
the help of an attorney. This is one of the most important reasons to
have an accident lawyers, is to make sure that you get the money that is
owed to you by the other party whether it is out of their pocket or
through the insurance company.