Should I Hire a Lawyer After an Auto Accident?
It’s bad enough to be in an auto accident. You may sustain traumatic injuries that can permanently alter your life. Further, you may have to pay medical expenses and deal with lost wages. In instances where you did not cause the accident and someone else did, you are paying for their negligence. When this happens, you may consider hiring a lawyer. Let us look at the reasons why you should.
Minor Accidents Are Not Exempt
Both major and minor accidents can cause serious physical consequences. Yet, insurers will argue that a minor auto accident without catastrophic injuries does not qualify. Nothing could be further from the truth.
An example of this is the physical outcome of a rear-end accident. The trauma can cause neck and upper back pain commonly called whiplash. While many sufferers heal within six months with analgesics and rest, others will be symptomatic for one year or more, interfering with their work and daily routine.
In addition, the speed with which the at-fault driver hits the vehicle can make a difference. With high speeds or heavy vehicles, the injured party’s head may rapidly snap back and forth in a whip-like motion with enough force to damage the brain. By striking the inner surface of the skull in this manner, a concussion may occur.
Time Limit to File a Claim Against a Negligent Party
There is a time limit for filing a claim in Louisiana. This time limit is referred to as a statute of limitation and must not be exceeded. If the time limit runs out, the case will no longer be heard. In Louisiana, this statute of limitation is one year from the injury date for personal injury cases.
Cases against a government entity are covered by a different time limit. It is important to ask your auto accident lawyer about the statute of limitation if damages were caused by a government agency. Examples of this are an accident due to lack of road maintenance.
Investigating the Accident Site
Clues as to why a car accident happens are an essential part of an auto accident case. Without such evidence, the case cannot be proven and it will fail. This is one of the areas where an auto accident lawyer can help. Our investigators handle the investigation in the following way:
- They rush to the accident site to scour it for evidence of liability.
- Our investigators use accident reconstruction techniques to determine responsibility.
- We obtain surveillance camera footage to see the accident as it happened.
- Our investigators talk to witnesses to corroborate evidence.
- We review police reports of the auto accident to ensure that mistakes are not present.
Once all the information is gathered, our legal team uses it to structure a strong case for our clients.
An Auto Accident Lawyer Negotiates With Insurance Companies
The defendant’s insurance company will do everything in their power to whittle down the amount of money they pay a plaintiff. They dispatch adjusters to find ways to do this from evaluating the accident and vehicle to reviewing past medical records for preexisting conditions.
Our negotiators know all their tricks. We will represent you from the start, talk to adjusters and negotiate on your behalf. An experienced attorney can put a stop to their ways of leaving you without the compensation you deserve.
Call the Olinde Law Firm for Help
It is well-known that having an auto accident attorney will help ensure that you receive maximum compensation. Call the Olinde Law Firm at (800) 587-1889, or contact us online to schedule a free case review. Don’t let the insurer fool you into paying for another’s negligence. Let us deal with them as you heal.