Reluctant to hire an attorney after a car accident? It’s normal to feel uncertain about what to do, but one of the best decisions you can make is to hire a car accident injury lawyer in San Antonio. Here’s why.
How a Car Accident Injury Lawyer in San Antonio Will Help You Get the Maximum Compensation
1. Knowledge of Case Requirements
One of the most important reasons to hire a lawyer is simply because they have legal knowledge about what your case requires, and you may not. To get compensation from a car accident, you’ll need to prove that the other party had a duty of care to drive safely and did not meet that duty of care, which in turn caused your injuries and made you suffer from losses.
An abogado de accidente de auto en San Antonio will collect all of the information needed to meet your case requirements, which includes monetary proof of damages like medical bills and missed paychecks. Your lawyer will also help you record information about your non-monetary suffering, like PTSD symptoms from the accident that make you unable to maintain your previous quality of life.
2. Investigative Skills
But your car accident attorney can do more than just collect the information and records that are easy to access. Lawyers are skilled at investigating a case and reading between the lines, which may identify a deeper pattern of unlawful behavior than your case alone.
For instance, commercial truck driving companies must train drivers properly, conduct drug tests, and require them to follow certain rules, especially for the transport of hazardous materials. If a truck driver caused your collision and also exposed you to hazardous materials in the process, your lawyer will look into both the driver and the company’s training practices, potentially uncovering an inadequate training program that contributed to the driver’s poor driving skills. In this case, you may receive a higher settlement if you choose to file claims against both the driver and the company.
3. Protection You from Insurance Tactics
Often, insurance adjusters will try to reach out to you soon after your case to offer you a low settlement offer. They’ll speak to you and record your conversations hoping that you’ll say something that can be construed as incriminating. They’ll even look at your social media to see if they can find anything that paints you in a negative light.
Luckily, lawyers expect these sorts of behaviors from the insurance company and know how to protect you from saying or doing anything that could hurt your case. Your lawyer will explain how to navigate social media, and they’ll handle communication with the other party directly.
4. Experience with Strategic Negotiation
Once you and the liable party sign off on a settlement offer, there’s no more you can do. Even if you undergo further suffering or discover later injuries down the line, you’re no longer eligible for compensation. Lawyers know this and keep this in mind when they begin the negotiation process to get you the highest settlement offer you deserve. Negotiation is all about timing, and lawyers are masters of knowing how to react in a given moment.
Your attorney will have a good understanding of when you should continue to collect evidence and record your injuries and when it’s time to act. An attorney will also know how to read the situation and file a demands letter or lawsuit when the opposing party is not backing down.
5. Expert Witness Network
Your case may need input from an expert to understand what happened and how much you deserve. It’s not uncommon to contact an accident reconstruction specialist to break down exactly what happened. And car accident cases that go to court will need the help of a medical expert to explain to the judge and jury the nature of your injuries and why your claim amount is reasonable. An attorney will know the proper experts for your case.
6. Attention to Deadlines
If your case were to proceed to court, you’d need to follow strict guidelines in order to comply with the court’s procedures and the state’s laws. First and foremost, your lawyer will ensure that you’re following Texa’s statute of limitations, which says that you have two years from the time of the injury to file a lawsuit. Each court will have individual deadlines, such as the time frame to schedule a hearing or trial after you’ve filed your initial complaint.
Don’t settle for anything less than what you’re eligible to receive. No one knows the law better than a lawyer. Teaming up with a personal injury attorney will set you up for a fair outcome and take some of the stress out of your recovery period.
