Do I Need A Personal Injury Lawyer When Hurt In An Accident?
Why You Should Call An Experienced Arizona Attorney After Getting Injured In An Accident
After an accident, you may be hesitant to incur the expense of a personal injury attorney. Because a plaintiff can only pursue a defendant for damages once, it’s impossible to know how much more self-represented litigants would have been awarded with an attorney. An attorney usually will obtain a higher settlement agreement for you, and offer a slew of other benefits.
How Your Attorney Will Use Evidence To Determine The Value Of Your Case & Deliver Your Ideal Outcome
After an accident, there will be many potential types of evidence that could help prove your case. Your attorney will analyze pictures and videos from the scene of the accident, and go back to investigate the scene and take pictures if necessary. Your attorney may be able to track down surveillance footage from a nearby establishment. Eyewitnesses, medical experts, accident reconstructionist, and other experts may need to be deposed to show damages. Cell phone and vehicle maintenance records can be reviewed to establish fault in the accident. Your personal injury attorney will identify any other relevant evidence to strengthen your claim and increase your payout.
Do I Have To Talk To The Insurance Adjuster?
Due to your injuries, you may be tired or disoriented for a considerable time after your accident. The last thing you probably want to do is talk to an insurance adjuster. Insurance adjusters are trained to fool you to believe they are acting in your best interests in your vulnerable state. Unfortunately, you can’t close out your case without at least some interactions with insurance adjusters- unless you retain a Las Vegas auto injury attorney.
In most types of legal matters, all communications must go through your attorney once retained. This prevents the other party and their attorney trying to manipulate you without your attorney’s guidance. The same goes for insurance adjusters. Adjusters must ask your attorney for details about your accident. This prevents you from making statements that are potentially harmful to your case. The adjusters are not on your side. Adjusters are looking for any hint of your fault in the accident. Hints like your injuries being less serious than claimed, etc. Therefore, please be careful when speaking directly with an adjuster. This should be handled by your Phoenix Accident Attorney only.
Determining If You Should Hire An Injury Lawyer In Arizona
For some people, shouldering the responsibility of a personal injury claim is worth not paying an attorney a portion of their award. More likely than not, your personal injury attorney will charge on a contingent basis. You pay the attorney nothing up front, but the attorney takes a standard percentage of your settlement or trial award. This percentage can be quite considerable- some attorneys charge up to 33% or more of your final award!
If you can find a reasonably priced attorney, you may end up with a higher settlement, even after their fee is deducted. Hiring an Arizona attorney will show you are serious about pursuing your claim if you aren’t offered a reasonable settlement, and can help expedite the settlement process. That means you can get back to your normal life sooner than if you represent yourself.
Signs That You Need An Arizona Injury Attorney
Your claim may be low in value or fairly simple. Therefore, leading you to the decision not to retain a personal injury attorney after your accident. However, some of the following signs could alert you that it may be time to schedule consultations with experienced injury lawyers.
If your injuries are serious, or likely to result in permanent negative side effects, it will be more difficult to calculate the value of your claim. However, you can’t go back and sue the other party again. Thus, you will need to account for all of your future expenses stemming from the accident in your first claim. An experienced Phoenix Injury Lawyer can assist.
It isn’t always clear who is responsible for an accident.  You’ve probably driven through a poorly planned intersection or construction zone before that made you feel lucky to escape without an accident. In these situations, government entities, business owners, parking lot owners, and other parties can be brought as parties to the claim and pursued for damages. When it isn’t clear who the other party should be in your case, or if there are multiple defendants, you should seek the guidance of an experienced injury attorney to navigate these added complexities.
Another issue plaintiffs may face in a personal injury claim is the other party trying to assign blame back to them. If you were driving less than perfectly, the other party will argue that you were a certain percent liable for the accident. Your total damages will be reduced respectively. A skilled personal injury attorney will help protect you from the other party assigning you blame in the accident.
Benefits Of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer In Arizona
Not only will your personal injury lawyer eliminate your need to speak with insurance adjusters, but your attorney will help facilitate communication with other professionals as well. Your attorney will make sure you receive proper medical treatment, and assist you with payment through MedPay or medical liens, if necessary. This allows you to focus on your medical treatment, regardless if you can afford your out-of-pocket costs.
After your accident, you will need to negotiate your settlement or file your lawsuit in the applicable statute of limitations. Otherwise, you will permanently lose your right to pursue compensation for your damages from the accident. If your injuries require complex and extensive medical treatment, this time frame may end up being tight. You will have other deadlines as far as negotiations and communications with the court. A seasoned personal injury lawyer will be well aware of these, as well as other potential issues in your case.
What Does a Personal Injury Attorney Do?
The first thing a personal injury attorney will do is give you general advice, as well as an estimated value and completion time for your case. If you retain the attorney, from that point on, they will take over all communications and negotiations in your case. Your attorney will draft your demand letter, and help you coordinate with medical providers to clearly illustrate the extent of your injuries. This helps increase the overall value of your claim.
Throughout the personal injury claim process, you will frequently need advice and direction. A personal injury attorney, as well as their support staff, should be there to guide you through every step of the way. Your attorney will prepare exhibits and expert testimony if your case proceeds to trial, and if appropriate, handle the appeals process. Your attorney can go over every service they offer during your case evaluation.
Contact An Experienced Accident Attorney In Arizona Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident, the best way to protect your rights and prepare for your financial future is to hire an experienced personal injury attorney. Your attorney will utilize the evidence in your case to obtain the highest possible settlement value, or win your case at trial if necessary. While your attorney negotiates with insurance adjusters and prepares your case, you can relax and focus on your recovery. My AZ Lawyers offers a guaranteed contingency rate of 25%, which means more money in your pocket. The clock starts ticking once your accident occurs, so don’t hesitate- after an accident, call (480) 833-8000 to schedule your free consultation with My AZ Lawyers.
Arizona Offices:
Mesa Location:
1731 West Baseline Rd., Suite #100
Mesa, AZ 85202
Office:Â (480) 448-9800
Email:Â info@myazlawyers.com
Website:Â https://myazlawyers.com/
Glendale Location:
20325 N 51st Avenue Suite #134, Building 5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Office:Â (602) 509-0955
Tucson Location:
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Office:Â (520) 441-1450
Avondale Location:
12725 W. Indian School Rd., Ste E, #101
Avondale, AZ 85392
Office:Â (623) 469-6603
