Although you can still help yourself by hiring a Salem Oregon car accident lawyer late in the process of your personal injury case, there are quite a few compelling reasons to seek representation early in the case, rather than later. They might not be as obvious as you think.
1. First and foremost, don’t trust that the police or any other entity investigating the cause of the accident will do a good job and represent your interests. Although most cases are pretty clear cut, an attorney’s job is to get qualified investigators immediately involved in disputed cases to determine fault and preserve evidence. A good personal injury attorney knows when and how to best investigate your case and this, often times, makes a difference between whether you will recover your damages or end up paying for the other party’s damages.
2. There are very short time frames on some types of cases so getting an Salem Oregon car accident lawyer involved right away can be critical. In some cases you have to file your claim within 30 days of the accident. In others, you have to file a report with the police with 48 hours and then you have to make a statement under oath with 30 days. In many claims against the state and claims against a public entity you have only 180 days. An attorney can guide you through the process under these tight deadlines.
3. A Salem Oregon car accident lawyer can help you, immediately after your crash, to understand the importance of carefully selecting a health care practitioner who will advocate for you, your speedy and complete recovery, and your overall well being. While this may be obvious for your health care, a thorough physician can also help your personal injury claim. Not only does the value of the claim increase, it is easier to show verifiable damages. An experienced attorney will know how to help you avoid doctors who work for the insurance companies, are afraid to go to trial, or who will make it difficult to secure a settlement or jury verdict. Also, because when the case settles or goes to trial all future medical care must be included in the settlement or verdict, so a doctor who will order tests to predict future care is of utmost importance.
4. Let the Salem Oregon car accident lawyer deal with your insurance company. While you can surely file your own claim, you may not know how the insurance companies actually work. Insurance companies are bound by law to set aside reserve when you make a claim. That is an amount of money based on an estimate of your claim’s value. If the insurance company knows that you have an attorney involved in the case, they will likely set a higher reserve for your case.
5. Let the attorney deal with the other driver’s insurance company and/or lawyer. If the at fault driver has filed a claim with her insurance company, there is a good chance you will be contacted by them directly. Their goal will be to pay as little for your claim as possible. A lawyer knows what to tell the opposition’s insurance company and when to tell it to them. By controlling the flow of information, your lawyer can keep you from being taken advantage of, and help you get the maximum amount of money for your claim.
6. After an accident, a Salem Oregon car accident lawyer can reduce your stress by guiding you through the process of your claim from the beginning. If you have property damage, personal injuries, and medical bills, your lawyer will know when, where and how to file different types of claims to cover your ongoing expenses and lost work time. He will also be working to maximize your settlement from the beginning.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, the best thing to do is to get a car accident lawyer involved sooner rather than later. Whatever stage of your case, it’s almost never too late. Contact the Law Offices of Brian Whitehead today and schedule your personalized case evaluation.