One of the most common concerns our clients have after they’ve been in a car accident is, “How am I going to pay for all this?”
Between medical bills, car repairs, and increased insurance premiums, the costs can really start to stack up. But the good news is you don’t have to pay for all of this out of your own pocket.
That’s where a car accident attorney comes in. At Gilbert Law Firm in Spokane, we work with you to make sure that you are getting compensated for your losses, whether that’s from your insurance company, or from a lawsuit against the person responsible for your accident.
Here are 5 reasons to hire an attorney after your car accident in Washington.
1. To make sure your insurance doesn’t pull one over on you
If you’ve ever tried to make an insurance claim after an accident, chances are you already know what every attorney will try to tell you: Insurance agencies don’t want to pay you squat.
A personal injury attorney with experience representing victims of car crashes will know how to deal with car insurance agencies, and will be able to guide you through the process and ensure you are getting the best coverage you can.
An attorney can help you gather all the evidence and documentation that your insurance agency will require before they are willing to cover your damages. Attorneys can also help you with the do’s and don’ts of communicating with insurance agencies. Here are a few examples:
- Don’t admit fault
- Don’t make unfounded accusations
- Do have your attorney look over any documents before you sign them
2. To help you file a civil lawsuit
If your insurance claim isn’t going to cover it, don’t worry– you still have options.
When someone acts in a negligent way and is the cause of your accident, they can be held liable in civil court. This means, for example, that if the other driver was responsible for the crash, that you could sue them to recover the damages you suffered as a result of the accident.
Filing a lawsuit can be complicated, however, and you may need an experienced car accident attorney to help you through the process. Below are the basic steps that your attorney can help you with:
- File the case with the appropriate board or federal agency
- Identify the court that has jurisdiction
- File your Complaint with the court
- Serve the defendant
3. To collect evidence that supports your side
Once your lawsuit has been filed, you’re going to need to collect evidence corroborating your side of the story.
Here are a few of the things you and your attorney can prepare:
- The traffic report
- Any notes you took at the scene
- Photos and videos you took of the vehicles and the crash scene
- Witness statements
- Event data recorders
At Gilbert Law Firm, we often recommend that injury victims keep a journal to document their pain, their recovery, and their mental state. Evidence like this can really come in handy if you have to take your case to trial.
4. To negotiate a settlement
Once you’ve gathered all of this evidence, you can first present it to the opposing party’s attorney in the hopes of negotiating a settlement.
Having an experienced car accident attorney by your side is going to be invaluable at this stage in the process. Your attorney can vehemently represent your interests, while also keeping the goal in mind of negotiating a fair settlement without dragging the case out for months or even years.
With the right attorney, and enough evidence to support your side of the story, you might be able to get a fair settlement without even having to go to trial.
5. To represent you in court
Of course it doesn’t always work out that way, and sometimes, you’ll need a judge or a jury to make a judgment.
There are a number of things that you can recover compensation for in a car accident case:
- Car repairs
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
While it is possible to represent yourself in a car accident case, you may need an experienced car accident attorney to help you along the way if you are going to get a fair judgment in a court of law.
Contact a Washington car accident attorney today
At Gilbert Law Firm, you can expect honest and genuine representation with one simple goal: to help you recover from your car accident with the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and talk about your case.
