If you have recently been in an auto accident, getting a car accident attorney may be the last thing on your mind. Between the problems resulting from damage to your vehicle, you may be dealing with medical issues resulting from injuries you sustained in the car accident. However, you should still seek out a lawyer as soon as possible after a car accident, and here is why:
- Insurance companies do not wait to start applying pressure
- It would be nice if insurance companies had the decency to allow you to simply deal with the tragedy and trauma that results from being in a car accident on your own time. Unfortunately, insurers are rarely so courteous, and you may begin hearing from insurers within days, or even hours, of your accident. They will not wait to begin sorting out the legal side of your car accident, and neither should you.
- They want you to accept the first offer before you get to negotiate
- Typically, when an insurance company first contacts you to offer a settlement for your car accident, it will be an extremely low amount compared to what you might get if you pursued the matter in court. They may want to take advantage of your distressed mental state to get you to accept that first offer, because they often do not want you to have a chance to negotiate your settlement. If you do, the size of your settlement is likely to go up dramatically.
- They have attorneys, and you need to level the playing field
- Insurance companies have a team of lawyers working to get the best possible deal for them in every car accident case that they cover. Obviously, most people do not have that same luxury, and without your own attorney, you will be forced to face them alone. Thus, hiring a lawyer is a necessary part of levelling the playing field and making sure you get the best possible deal for yourself.
- Lawyers will negotiate on your behalf
- Even if you are otherwise a skilled negotiator in your own right, negotiating a settlement in your own car accident is too much for most people to bear. You are already dealing with enough after a car accident, so trying to work out a proper settlement is likely going to be overwhelming. An attorney can take the pressure off of you and handle the negotiating for you, allowing you to focus on the other problems you are currently dealing with.
- You need an attorney if you intend to go to trial
- The vast majority of lawsuits end in a settlement, rather than a verdict at trial. That said, if you do intend to go to trial, your best approach includes hiring an experienced attorney with trial litigation experience. They will be able to create a litigation strategy that will maximize your odds of victory, giving you the best possible chance at getting a favorable outcome for your case.
The New York personal injury attorneys at Duffy & Duffy have decades of experience in handling personal injury and medical malpractice issues. With our offices conveniently located in Long Island and New York City, we are ready to assist you with your case and ensure it receives the personal attention it deserves. If you want to learn more or receive a free consultation, give us a call at (516) 394 – 4200, or visit our contact page.
