Hiring an attorney to handle your car accident claim can be a confusing and daunting endeavor. You may have seen television advertisements or billboards for services to handle a car accident claim. A friend or family member may have recommended a lawyer to you. Or, you may have done some research online and found an attorney who appears to be qualified. Regardless of who you choose, be sure to meet or speak with your car accident attorney before signing any documents. If you have only dealt with a paralegal or investigator who has been sent to meet with you, then you cannot complain when you never speak to a real car accident lawyer . The business model of many heavily advertised law firms is to pay paralegals, not lawyers, in an effort to keep costs down legal separation attorney. Therefore, if you really want a car accident lawyer to handle your case, there are certain steps you should take to protect yourself.
WRITE THE DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT
If you want to win money after your car accident , you must be able to prove what happened and the extent of your injuries. I always suggest that you write down or email the details of the accident and what you experienced shortly after the accident. I have a case involving a serious rear impact on 275 where my client was the back seat passenger. Even though the driver who hit my client was cited in the accident, during the lawsuit, the driver tried to blame the driver of my client’s car for stopping suddenly. Therefore, the at-fault driver was trying to shift the blame to the car that was rear-ended. Fortunately, my client wrote detailed notes shortly after the accident describing how traffic was stopping and moving and that the vehicle he was in was stopped for at least 30-45 seconds before the collision. These notes have become powerful evidence to undermine the credibility of the at-fault driver and will result in significantly more money being paid.
WHILE NOT ALL DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT ARE NECESSARY, YOU SHOULD KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN MIND:
- the date and time of the car accident
- The location
- weather conditions
- the condition of the road
- the amount of traffic
- what were you doing
- which direction your body moved during impact
- where you came from and where you were going
- How did the accident happen
- the names of the people in your car
- the names and numbers of any witnesses to the accident
GET THE POLICE REPORT
Although most car accident attorneys are able to obtain the police report, I am always impressed by clients who proactively obtain this information. An accident report is a crucial document in a case because it identifies what happened, the insurance companies, and the parties involved. Sometimes witnesses are left out of these reports and must be corrected with the investigating officer. Therefore, the quicker the accident report is obtained after a car accident, the less likely there will be problems with the claim.
COLLECT EVIDENCE OF YOUR INJURIES
If you have been in the hospital, keep your discharge paperwork to take to your car accident attorney’s office . It will help you determine what was done for your care and the next steps for your treatment. I suggest you write down the name of the doctor who treated you, the initial diagnosis and treatment recommendation, whether you had x-rays or a CT scan, what you told the hospital about seat belt use, and whether you had any pre- existing injuries .
Generally speaking, the sooner you get treatment after a car accident , the better for your recovery and your claim. Every day you delay receiving treatment gives the insurance company an excuse to reduce the value of your claim. Their position is that the longer you go without treatment, the less serious your injuries will be. They will rely on this argument to your detriment throughout the entire car accident claim process. If you can get immediate treatment, you eliminate this line of defense from the insurance company.
PREPARE A LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER
Again, if you do not speak with a car accident attorney during the initial consultation, do not expect that person to be very involved in your case. It is our policy that each client be interviewed by a car accident attorney either by telephone or in person before taking on a case. Some law firms send you a contract regardless of the strength of the claim and then decide whether to keep the case. Our philosophy is that this is not fair to the customer. Not only does it prevent other attorneys who could really help from taking the case, it also creates unrealistic expectations and is bad for goodwill. Our office examines every car accident case and we do not take every case that is presented. This allows our car accident attorneys to focus on viable claims.
However, if you are meeting with a car accident attorney , our suggestion is to interview someone who is local . A local attorney knows the claims process in the area, the value of the claim, and the medical providers. A local attorney can be a great asset in assisting with handling the claim. Be sure to meet with the attorney at his or her actual office, not a satellite office that is only visited periodically. If you make a good decision when to hire a quality local car accident attorney , it will save you a lot of trouble in the future.
Some other questions to ask the attorney during the interview are whether they have handled similar cases in the past, whether the attorney will be available to answer questions, who handles negotiations with the insurance company, and how their office process is set up. . Most clients sign the contract blindly without asking questions and then pay the price when they find out later that the lawyer is not qualified.
LOCAL CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS IN ST. PETERSBURG
Our office is located in St. Petersburg and we specialize in car accident cases throughout Pinellas County, Florida . We talk to every customer and are always available to answer any questions. Our team is highly experienced with decades of experience handling car accident claims . If you have questions about a car accident injury claim and would like a consultation, we are always available. Our goal is to always obtain maximum recovery for our clients during this process.
CONTACT A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident , then you must take the appropriate steps to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys McQuaid & Douglas today and speak with an attorney. For more than 60 years, our firm has been successfully helping people who have been injured due to the carelessness of another person. We have been nationally ranked for decades by US News and World Reports as a Tier 1 law firm, which is the highest ranking you can receive. Sean McQuaid and Jonathan Douglas have dedicated their careers to continuing the legacy of the top legal representation firm.
Remember that we never charge a commission unless we win. Call us today at 727-381-2300 so we can answer your questions, help you navigate the complexities of insurance claims, and recover the compensation you deserve.
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