Nobody wants to be involved in a car accident. But chances are that you will be, at some point. The more you drive, the more likely it is that will be the case. Insurance statistics show that most people have to file a claim every 17 years or so.
Hopefully, the accident will not be your fault. But even if it is not, according to this leading car crash lawyer, you may still need to seek help from the legal profession. We explain why that is, below.
1. The other driver may try to blame you
There is a fairly good chance that the other driver, or their insurance company, will try to make you take the blame. There are lots of subtle ways to do this. For one, the other party might come up with another story on why the accident happened and will blame you for it, and if they’re working with a lawyer, they’ll have better chances of winning in court. When this happens, you’ll end up paying the other party for damages that you didn’t inflict or cause in the first place.
A good personal injury lawyer will be able to explain what you should say and do to avoid inadvertently putting the blame on yourself. Lawyers have years of experience in helping clients deal with different types of car accidents, which means that hiring them will make your life easy. They can provide the necessary tips to ensure that you won’t take the blame for the accident and, instead, get money from the settlement.
2. The accident is part of a scam
The risk of this happening rises significantly if the other driver involved is operating a scam. Cash for crash scams are a growing issue. The scammer’s aim is to make it seem like you are to blame. If they can do that, they can make a big claim off of their insurance company. They are very experienced at doing this, and know what statements to give and documents to provide just to prove that you’re the party at fault. The scammer can easily get money from your insurance company, especially if you’re planning to go through the legal battle alone.
Fortunately, a decent car accident lawyer will know how to protect you in this situation and foil their plans. Regardless of how adept these scammers are, a lawyer will strive to look for solutions to ensure that you don’t become the victim of any kind of scam. In fact, a lawyer can easily detect scams in situations like these and prove them in court as well.
3. The other person may not have insurance
In the USA, around 14% of drivers drive without insurance. If the party that was to blame for the accident has no insurance, things can get very complicated. In that situation, the chances of your being able to claim compensation on your own are very low. People who do not have insurance rarely take responsibility for their errors and pay up. This is the case even if they would like to be honest and pay you. They just will not have the funds or assets to pay you compensation. If they did, chances are they would not be driving without insurance in the first place.
Being involved in a car accident when the other party doesn’t have any insurance can be stressful. How can you claim settlement? Should you approach your insurance provider first or talk to the other party to make a settlement? Do you know what steps to follow in these situations? Coming up answers to these questions can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re still in the process of recovering from the car accident.
When you hire a lawyer after the car accident, you won’t have to worry about any of these things as they can work to settle with the other party on your behalf. With years of experience in dealing with different car accidents, a lawyer will know what to do during cases when the other person involved in the car accident doesn’t have any insurance.
The responsible driver may have fled the scene
In some cases, the person who is responsible for the accident does not stop. They will flee the scene. In that situation, you will call the police and they will investigate. More often than you think, they will find the perpetrator.
The best vehicle accident lawyers are used to dealing with this situation. They can work closely with the police to make sure the person gets caught and that you can get compensation, either through their insurance company or the courts.
Hiring the right lawyer to help you
In any of the above situations, it is very important to hire a lawyer who has the right expertise. You really need to look for one who has dealt with the above issues before. Doing so will greatly increase the chances of you securing the level of compensation that you are due.