How Can a Hinesville Car Accident Lawyer Help Me Win My Claim?
Dealing with the insurance company and personal injury laws after a car accident is no easy feat. Most car accident victims have little to no experience with this process, and it can be hard to know where to turn first. But when you have a lawyer on your side, you’re no longer alone.
Here are some ways a car accident lawyer can help you with your claim in Hinesville.
Communicating Directly with the Insurance Company
As soon as you begin working with your attorney, they will let the other driver’s insurance company know they’re representing you. This is significant because insurance companies are known for using sneaky tactics to get you to accept less money. They know this is a stressful time for any car accident victim because knowing how to proceed can be confusing.
Right after the accident, the insurance company may try contacting you by phone to offer a lowball upfront settlement, hoping you’ll take it. It’s easy to get taken advantage of if you don’t know how to handle the insurer. But once you have legal representation, all communication will go through your attorney. Even if you need to give a statement about your accident, your attorney will be able to advise you on what to say (and what not to say).
Gathering and Compiling Evidence
After notifying the other driver’s insurance company, your attorney will get to work compiling hard evidence from the accident. They’ll investigate what happened and might take actions like:
- Recreating the accident to detail what happened
- Going to the scene
- Talking to any witnesses
- Gathering photo or video evidence (especially any you took right after the accident)
- Having you see a specialist for your injuries
- Looking at your past medical history
- Calling on experts for testimony
Everything your lawyer does is with the intent of getting you full compensation of your costs. If you were not at fault in any way for your car accident (which is likely), you shouldn’t have to pay for any expenses you face because of the accident. So, your attorney will work to prove exactly what happened, that you had no fault in it, and that the other driver was negligent.
Negotiating for a Fair Settlement
Remember, insurance companies are hesitant to pay out the full value of a claim. They will look for ways to get you to accept less. But having an attorney is a game-changer.
Using the evidence they’ve gathered, your lawyer will work to show the insurer you have a strong claim. If the insurance company denies your claim or offers you less, your attorney can negotiate on your behalf. They’ll pressure the insurer to pay what you are owed without the need to go to court. And if you work with a well-known and respected local law firm, their reputation can help show the insurance company that fighting your claim isn’t worth it.
Get the strong arm
When and How Do I File an Insurance Claim?
For most car accidents in Hinesville, you have two years from the date of your accident to file an injury claim. The burden is on you to do this, so it’s important to take action quickly. Before this, you’ll also need to call the police and report your accident as soon as it happens. The insurance company will also need to be notified.
There are some situations where the statute of limitations is longer or shorter than two years. If you’re filing a property damage claim for car repairs (without any injuries), you usually have four years to file. And if the accident involved a city, state, country vehicle, the deadline is anywhere from six months to a year.
It’s best to assume you have less time and get started on your claim right away so you don’t miss your chance at compensation. Leave yourself with plenty of time by getting started today.
Gathering Relevant Documents
To actually file your claim, you’ll first need to do several things like:
- Get a copy of the police report on your accident.
- See your doctor for an assessment of your condition.
- Compile all medical bills, notes or diagnoses from your doctor, records of lost wages, car repair quotes, and anything else that demonstrates your damages.
Once you have the important documents, you’ll need to calculate the total of your damages. This includes straight-forward costs like medical bills as well as general damages like pain and suffering. The former costs are much easier to calculate than the latter, which don’t have a clear dollar value. Even lost wages can be hard to figure out on your own, so your car accident lawyer will be invaluable here.
Sending a Demand Letter
When you have all the important documents and have calculated a full amount for your damages, you’ll need to send a demand letter to the insurance company. This letter will include the full amount of damages you’re seeking and why you deserve to recover them.
This demand letter should thoroughly cover the details of your accident while proving fault and damages. Your car accident attorney can create the demand letter for you and ensure it’s as strong and thorough as possible.
Offer and Negotiation
When the insurance company responds to your offer, they’ll give a counter-offer that is usually a lowball settlement. From here, you and your attorney will work to negotiate a settlement that actually covers your damages based on what you legally deserve.
Hurt in an Auto Accident?
Count on a Hinesville Car Accident Lawyer
Anytime someone suffers from the harm of an auto accident, plenty of new painful and financial burdens appear in their life, along with the lives of their family members. In most cases, these types of situations will affect their income, not to mention the mind, body and emotions. These types of matters can make it almost impossible to continue on normally with daily activities.
When you or someone dear to you experiences injuries from a car accident that came as the result of negligence or the carelessness of another person, then the most suitable way towards receiving a fair amount of compensation is through the legal assistance of a Hinesville car accident lawyer.
Here at John Foy & Associates, we’ve got just the attorney you need to speak to. With years of experience and a track record to prove it, you can rely on us to set you on the best legal path to financial recovery after an auto wreck.
The attorneys at our firm have been dealing with car accident cases just like yours for over 25 years, and are well-versed in the laws that surround them. We can pinpoint how much you should be offered – as opposed to how much you are actually being offered, and when that number is off, our car wreck attorneys know how to step up and get it corrected without a problem.
Don’t let any insurance company fool you into a lower settlement than you deserve. Get a Hinesville car accident lawyer on your side and watch them cower back. With an attorney by your side, you can be sure that your legal rights are being kept up with by all parties involved. We’ll handle the paperwork, the talking, and the insurance company, so you can get back to healing. Dial 404-400-4000 to get started.
912-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form