Personal injury occurs when someone else is negligent for the losses you’ve incurred. It’s not an easy process, but the law allows those who have suffered a financial loss to seek out financial compensation from those responsible. You may initially feel that filing a claim directly with that responsible party or insurance company is effective. Still, it could be the worst thing you do for your financial future. Take a look at a few of the most important reasons to use a Charlotte personal injury attorney instead of filing a claim alone.
Key Benefits of Using a Personal Injury Attorney in Charlotte
Personal injury attorneys provide a wide range of advantages to consumers, as noted by the personal injury attorneys at Sumwalt Anderson. Though it is possible to file a claim and pursue legal actions on your own, the process is complex and time-consuming and must be done properly to ensure the best long-term outcome. Consider these benefits.
Determine All of Your Losses
Consider that, according to the North Carolina 2020 Traffic Crash Facts Report, 17.9% of all crashes involved a driver that was distracted in some way. When this type of accident occurs, it may lead to a simple car crash, but it may also lead to more complications, including losses such as:
- Emergency medical care
- Long-term medical care needs
- Medication needs
- Rehabilitation needs
- Lost time at work
- Lost the ability to work
The key here is that these costs are not simple to define. It is quite common that when an accident like this occurs, calculating all of those losses (both in the past and the future) is critical. An attorney can minimize the risk that you don’t claim enough of your losses.
Determining Fault
In some situations, it may be hard for police officers to assign fault in a case like this. Yet, that’s going to impact who pays for the losses. Attorneys can help by providing resources to gather evidence at the scene of the incident, including videos and witness statements. They may even prove you were not at fault and that the other person’s actions were negligent. This could be done through accident recreation or working with accident experts.
Interviewing Witnesses
Your attorneys will work with witnesses directly to help prove that you have a case. For example, in the distracted driving cases mentioned above, you may need witnesses who can share that the other driver was using their phone or weaving between the lanes. Yet, some witnesses may not really know what they saw. In some cases, an attorney can help to improve the quality and clarity of their statements to ensure the best long-term outcome.
Ensuring You Don’t Have To Deal with The Insurance Company Directly
Let’s say you are hurt while visiting a neighbor’s home. Perhaps their dog bit you, and you had to get significant stitches and not have long-term pain. You turn to the property owner’s insurance to file a claim, thinking it would be simple and straightforward. This leads to the insurance company asking you questions.
The insurance company’s job is to get you to settle for the lowest amount possible. They may try to get you to admit that you reached out to the dog or yelled at it, increasing the dog’s defensiveness. Or, they may get you to admit that it was your fault. With the help of an attorney, you do not have to worry about such claims.
Negotiation with Insurance Companies
Attorneys work directly with the insurance company to provide proof of all that you’ve lost. They then work closely with them to settle the case, but this often involves significant negotiation. Creating a fair settlement is the priority of your legal team, which may mean documenting all of your losses, seeking out proof of long-term needs, and even considering past cases concerning pain and suffering claims.
Insurance companies and their attorneys are highly skilled and have a lot of experience in this process. You must also ensure you have a skilled negotiator by your side.
Meeting Court Document Requirements
It may seem simple enough to file a claim, but many cases of personal injury end up going to court. If the insurance company is not willing to settle the claim for what you’ve lost, you may need to pursue legal action in a court of law. Remember that this is not just more complex, but the burden of proof falls on your shoulders.
There are also a lot of rules that must be followed – forms must be filled out properly, and timelines must be carefully met. You also cannot miss a simple signature, or it could result in the dismissal of your case. That’s why it’s best to let the attorneys handle this.
Build Your Case Using Evidence And Case History
When you have to go to court for your claim, it can be critical to develop a strong legal strategy. This is particularly important when facing any personal injury claim against a business that may have more experience in the courtroom than you do. Your attorneys work to create a strong case for you based on evidence but also based on past cases. Their goal is to show the court that you suffered due to the negligence of another person or company and suffered a loss.
Finding Out if You Have a Case
Another reason to reach out to a personal injury attorney in Charlotte is as simple as learning if you have a case. Did you know that most personal injury attorneys in North Carolina will provide you with a free case review? It’s a way to learn what your rights are as well as if you have the ability to move forward. They can give you insight into what you can expect, too.
Most of the time, you don’t have to pay anything to a personal injury attorney in Charlotte until they win your case for you. In short, there’s no reason not to work with one.
