Sadly, car accidents aren’t uncommon but that doesn’t mean that everyone knows how to deal with them. As a driver, you’ll want to do everything you can to ensure you’re able to deal with incidents on the road as they arise and hiring a lawyer is certainly an important step to take. To find out why, take a look at these five reasons to hire a lawyer after a car accident:
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1. Protect Your Liability
If someone claims that you’re partly or wholly responsible for the accident, they might try and make a compensation claim against you. They could even report you to the police and claim that your conduct on the road constituted a criminal offence. By hiring a lawyer, you can protect your liability and prove exactly who was responsible for the collision.
2. Establishing a Claim
Before you begin taking legal action, you’ll want to ensure that you have a realistic chance of making a successful claim. With advice from a MICHIGAN AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEY, you can find out whether you’re eligible to obtain compensation after a traffic accident and, if so, who you need to make your claim against.
3. Collating Evidence
To make a successful claim, you’ll need to present evidence to prove who was responsible for the incident. This might take the form of CCTV recordings, photographic images and witness statements, as well as medical reports outlining what injuries you sustained. An experienced attorney can help you to determine what evidence is relevant and obtain it from the appropriate sources. Then, you can use the evidence as the basis for your claim for compensation.
4. Negotiating a Settlement
Most personal injury claims never go to court. Instead, the parties typically agree to a financial settlement, once liability has been established. However, attempting to negotiate a settlement without legal representation can mean that you end up getting far less compensation than you should. Hiring a lawyer ensures that all of the relevant factors are taken into account when a settlement is calculated, and it also means that you’ll have someone negotiating on your behalf to obtain the maximum amount of compensation.
5. Going to Court
If your case is one of the few personal injury claims that ends up going to trial, you’ll certainly want to have a talented lawyer representing you. From dealing with procedural issues to presenting the substantive elements of your case, an experienced attorney will have the expertise required to argue your case and obtain compensation from the responsible party.
When to Take Legal Action
If you’ve been injured because of an accident that someone else caused, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to make a claim for compensation. However, there are strict time limits applied to personal injury claims, so it’s advisable to seek legal advice as soon as possible. With more than 314,000 traffic accidents reported in Michigan each year, a substantial number of people are eligible to take legal action, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to obtain compensation.