Most people never have the need for an attorney and don’t understand how civil cases actually work. They may have heard about huge payouts for car accident cases, but once they’ve been in a car accident they wonder if they need to hire a car accident attorney to help them obtain a settlement. If a person has been in a car accident, it can be helpful to know what an attorney will do before they contact one so they know what to expect.
Initial Consultation
During the initial consultation, the attorney will discuss the accident with the person and review any evidence the person has on them. If they believe the person has a valid case and would benefit from further assistance, they can discuss how they will help the person and how the payments for the legal fees are typically handled.
Preparation for Negotiations
If the person decides to hire the lawyer, the next step is to prepare for negotiations. The attorney will collect any evidence needed to show their client was the victim in the accident and go through the expenses from the accident, including legal fees, to determine an adequate settlement amount they will negotiate for. The amount is not necessarily what they will start the negotiations with, but it will often be the lowest they’ll accept.
Negotiations and Court
Once the attorney is prepared, they can start negotiating with the insurance company for the at-fault driver. If this is successful, the person can avoid a long court battle and will be able to obtain the compensation they need. If it is not successful, the attorney can prepare them for court and let them know if this is the right option for their case, even though it will take longer than just accepting a lower settlement.
These are the basic steps a car accident attorney will follow when they work with the victim of a car accident. They will only take the case if they believe they have a chance of winning as they won’t receive a payment if they do not obtain a settlement for their client. A person who wants to learn more about how car accidents are handled by a lawyer can visit Alpernschubertlaw.com today. You can also follow them on Twitter!
