A car accident, no matter the severity, is one of the terrifying experiences one can ever go through. Some victims are fortunate enough to come out of car crashes unscathed. But for others, a single experience can leave them nursing physical disability or post-traumatic stress disorder for the rest of their lives.
Now, engaging an attorney is usually not the first thing on the minds of most car accident survivors. However, a lawyer can give you a new lease on life by playing a direct role in helping you overcome the financial and emotional implications associated with auto accidents.
This post details how a car accident lawyer can help escalate your recovery from the aftereffects of auto accidents. But first things first. If you want to understand the legal aftermath of a car accident, you can read more here.
5 Things One Should Know In Car Accident Case
Be prepared for a deposition.
If a car accident happens in complicated circumstances, you may have to undergo the deposition process afterward. A deposition represents a court hearing where all information, evidence, and witnesses are considered.
We advise you to have a lawyer on retainer or at least have the phone numbers of a couple of law firms on your phone, especially if you’ve never experienced a court hearing in your life. You don’t want to be looking for a lawyer at the last possible moment.
Your lawyer will prepare you for your hearing and help you answer all the questions. Depositions are not too complicated, and you shouldn’t be scared of them. Try to answer all of their questions honestly and stay calm during the process.
Now, since we have the legal side out of the way, let’s go over a few things you can do at the scene to keep everyone safe.
Check for injuries.
After an accident, you have to check yourself for any possible injuries first and then check the other passengers.
First, make sure that the youngest passengers are out of threat.
However, if any passenger is unconscious, that would be the right time to perform a CPR technique and open up your first aid kit. You may also use a first aid kit to sanitize open wounds and bandages.
If a passenger is severely hurt, you should call an ambulance and wait for them to arrive. While you wait, make sure you don’t move the passengers, as you can do additional damage to their injuries.
Get to safety.
After you experience a car accident, we advise you to move to safety to avoid further dangerous situations. Before you move aside, make sure you mark the location of the car accident with a warning triangle, so you can warn other drivers to drive with caution.
Also, make sure you turn on all 4 of your blinkers and safely leave the accident zone. Certain roads don’t have sidewalks where you can move, so act quickly and find the best possible place where you can move aside from the road.
While you wait, try to stay calm and talk to your passengers about their physical and mental state. You can also try to stop another passing car if you need an extra hand while additional help arrives.
Call the police!
Calling the police is something you must do, no matter the damage. They may need some time to arrive at the accident scene, so make sure you calmly wait for them and follow their instructions along the way.
When the police arrive, they will do an accident check-up, take pictures, and try to simulate the accident itself. They will also ask you a set of various questions. We advise you to give them honest answers so you can avoid any unpleasant situations in the future.
If you leave the accident scene, the police may think you’re at fault. We advise you to wait for the police to arrive and help them understand what happened. Also, you may experience difficulties communicating with the other driver. That’s why the police can make an objective decision about who’s at fault.
Give your insurance company a call!
This is one of the reasons why you pay so much money to your insurance companies. You should give them a call after you call the police and try to find your insurance policy. Make sure you follow their further instructions.
The insurance company is obliged to answer your call and help you with your damaged vehicle. When you talk to them, try to explain what happened and inform them about the amount of damage your car has gone through.
The insurance company will provide you with any necessary information you need to fix your vehicle. Depending on the past insurance contract you signed with them, they will also cover your damage costs wholly or partially.
What Types Of Lawyers Are Concerned With Car Accidents?
Before we delve deeper into the monumental role of car accident lawyers in helping their victims recover from the aftereffects of the crash, it’s essential to clarify the kinds of victims and the types of lawyers we’re talking about.
Most car accidents involve two main parties – the one at fault and the victim. The party at fault is usually a motorist. However, the victim can be a pedestrian, another motorist, or other road user. For this post, we’ll assume that the victim is an innocent pedestrian and the at-fault party is an irresponsible driver.
When choosing the best car accident lawyers, most victims opt for personal injury attorneys. As the name rightly implies, the primary role of a personal injury lawyer is to help auto accident victims get the actual value of their injury compensation. That allows the victims to cover the full extent of their medical bills, damage costs, and other expenses associated with the accident. Simply put, a personal injury lawyer helps clients procure justice and get relevant compensation.
How A Car Accident Attorney Can Help You Get a New Life
A Car Accident Attorney Can Help Establish Fault
After getting knocked down by a motorist, your first instinct may be to file a lawsuit against the other party. But before you do, it would help to know whether you stand a chance in court against them. This is where a car accident lawyer comes in.
Using their legal expertise, the attorney will cross-check the facts of the case based on available evidence and determine whether you have a solid case before filing a lawsuit. If the lawyer believes you might be at fault, they may advise you to reach an out-of-court settlement with the other party.
A Car Accident Attorney Can Explain Your Rights
A car accident lawyer will also fill you in on your rights about the case. This is very important because their counsel can help to direct your actions after a crash.
Professional auto accident attorneys from reputed law firms like cbpw-law.com will explain your rights regarding an accident. That includes but is not limited to the right to sue the other party if you believe beyond reasonable doubt that they’re squarely to blame for the accident and the right not to divulge sensitive information that may be used against you.
A Car Accident Attorney Can Represent You in Court
Like any lawyer, an auto accident attorney is well-versed with standard courtroom procedures. That makes them the correct entity to represent you in court.
You could decide to represent yourself in a court of law if you cannot otherwise afford quality legal representation. But the process can be long and tedious for a layman like you to navigate. Besides, you could still be recuperating from the accident and therefore indisposed to physically bring yourself to the courtroom.
A Car Accident Attorney Can Negotiate Your Rightful Settlement
It’s bad enough that you’ve sustained severe injuries from an auto accident. But it can be worse if you do not understand the full extent of your potential compensation.
A car accident lawyer will argue your case to ensure that the compensation received is commensurate with the injuries sustained. They’ll do this both in the courtroom and while negotiating with your insurance company.
The goal is not only to have you awarded damages. It also ensures that the settlements can help offset your medical bills, fix any damage to your car, and make up for any time lost in potential productivity.
A Car Accident Attorney Can Help You Hea
The whole idea of being represented in court is not only to have you get fair compensation for your injuries and damage. It’s also to help you heal physically and emotionally.
Your lawyer will handle everything about your litigation, allowing you ample time to nurse your wounds. In the meantime, you’ll also be able to recover from the emotional trauma caused by the car crash. Even if you don’t end up forgetting the entire ordeal (which is perfectly understandable), the auto accident attorney can still help you to find proper closure.
Summary
Hiring an auto accident lawyer is the natural thing to do after getting involved in an accident. A car accident attorney comes with a wealth of experience that may come in handy in helping you recover from the most gruesome physical and emotional accidents.
