A car wreck might impact your life in many ways. It might come out of nowhere. One moment, you’re on your way to work, and the next you’re dealing with injuries and a damaged vehicle.
Specialized legal representation is crucial after a crash in many instances. If the other driver’s insurance covers your medical bills, vehicle repairs, and any lost wages if you have to miss work, you may not bring legal action against the other driver. You might also live in a no-fault state. In that case, your insurance policy will probably cover such things.
If you live in an at-fault state, and the other driver’s insurance won’t cover the damage for some reason, then you will more than likely need to hire a lawyer. You may also require one if you’re in an at-fault state, but the other driver blames you for the crash, even if you feel certain they caused it.
If you do hire a car accident attorney, they can help you in several ways. We will talk about some of the most common ones right now.
They Can Help You Go After the Other Driver
Let’s assume for a moment that you’re in one of the situations we’ve just described. Another driver hit your car, and they won’t admit their guilt.
It’s an at-fault state. That means the other driver’s insurance company won’t willingly cover your medical bills, lost wages, and car repairs, not to mention noneconomic losses you suffered.
In that situation, you will need to sue the other driver, and you can hire a personal injury lawyer who knows all about the car accident niche. Ideally, they will have plenty of prior experience helping individuals in situations just like yours.
Once you officially hire them, they can draft the paperwork to send to the other driver that lets them know that you’re suing them. This starts the whole process.
The other driver can then hire their own counsel. Your lawyer can keep after the other driver and make sure they appear in court if they won’t offer you a settlement.
They Can Help You Go After the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
Your car accident lawyer can also go after the other driver’s insurance company if they refuse to pay you. Maybe the other driver admits their guilt, or they don’t dispute it. You’re in an at-fault state, so their insurance should pay for both your economic and noneconomic damages. However, they won’t do it for some reason.
Maybe, when the other driver’s insurance company investigates the crash, they will uncover evidence that leads them to think you actually caused the accident, regardless of what the other driver says about it. If so, then you will need to sue the other driver’s insurance company.
Your lawyer can fill out the required paperwork for that to happen. They can inform the other driver’s insurance company that you’re filing a lawsuit against them. Your lawyer will also know the next steps you’ll need to take in that particular situation.
They Can Negotiate a Settlement with the Other Driver’s Lawyer
Maybe you sue the other driver, and it looks like they won’t admit their guilt. However, you and your lawyer present what evidence you will use at trial during the discovery period.
At this time, the other driver’s lawyer might tell them that they recommend settling. This might happen if you have uncovered and presented enough evidence so that the other driver getting a jury’s verdict in their favor probably won’t happen at trial.
Your lawyer and the other driver’s counsel can meet to discuss the terms of a possible settlement. Then, your lawyer can come back to you with those terms. They can either recommend that you take the offer, or else they might tell you they believe you should ask for more.
They Can Have Their Investigator Uncover Evidence
Your lawyer will also probably have an investigator working for them, if not more than one. If you hired a larger and more prestigious law firm, then they might have a veritable army of investigators.
They can help look for and uncover evidence that you can either use at trial or to apply pressure if the other driver or their insurance company seems like they’re considering battling with you in court. If your lawyer and their investigator come up with a pile of evidence, that might get you the settlement offer you’ve wanted.
They may locate eyewitnesses of the crash, if anyone saw it. They may find video or photographic evidence as well.
They might locate an expert witness who they can put on the stand whose testimony can verify that the other driver caused the crash if there’s any remaining doubt about that. You probably can’t locate this much evidence on your own, so your lawyer can certainly help in this area.
They Can Argue on Your Behalf in Court
Your lawyer can also argue on your behalf if the other driver or their insurance company won’t settle. If they want to go to trial, that’s somewhat unusual, but it happens occasionally.
Your lawyer might argue on your behalf in front of a jury and judge. They might get on their best outfit and use all of their legal acumen in these moments. They may like getting up and talking in front of a judge and jury if they seldom get that opportunity.
If the other driver takes the stand, your lawyer can question them about the accident. If they still feel you caused the crash, then your attorney can pick apart their story. If the other driver or their insurance company sends other individuals to the stand to attempt to support their position, your lawyer can question their credibility as well.
This sort of cross examination can cause the other driver or their insurance company to want to settle in some instances. It’s one more thing a skilled personal injury lawyer can do for you.
