What is the role of an accident attorney?

If you were wrongfully injured in an accident, you can file a claim for compensation coverage, either with your own insurance company or with the negligent party’s insurance company. You may even need to file a third-party claim if more than one person was involved or responsible for your accident and subsequent injuries. Also, you may have to take your claim to trial if the insurance company is unwilling to give a fair settlement after hours of frustrating negotiations.

This is only the surface of everything that an accident claim entails. Every case is different, and there are myriad possible roadblocks that can come up at any point during a claim, including rehabilitation, deadlines, creditors’ issues, paying bills, lost wages, and more. To manage a claim, recover the compensation you need, and rehabilitate from your injuries, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney. They provide guidance and assistance in a variety of ways, making them an invaluable part of your personal injury case. Read on to learn what a personal injury attorney can do for you in one of the scariest and most distressing times of your life.

The duty of a lawyer

The general duty or purpose of an accident attorney is to provide legal representation to victims with physical or psychological injuries seeking compensation to cover damages and losses that resulted from the accident and injuries. In most cases, a personal injury attorney can negotiate a claim and settle out of court; But an experienced attorney is always ready and willing to go to trial if necessary. Although all cases are different, the basic role of an accident attorney does not change; however, the particular functions they perform will change depending on the needs of the case.

Here are some examples of common duties of a personal injury attorney:

Gather evidence – Initially, they will conduct a thorough investigation to gather as much evidence as they can around your claim. This includes police reports, witness statements, photographs, videos, and more. Once the client is medically stabilized, they can continue their investigation by collecting medical records, health reports, employment records, and more. This evidence will help build a case by verifying the details of the accident, documenting the progression of damages, and establishing fault.

Insurance negotiations – They will then request an offer from the insurance company and will continue to negotiate with them until a complete and fair offer is made. If the insurance company doesn’t back down, then a more drastic course of action is necessary.

Judgment – If the insurance company does not accept a fair offer, the accident attorney will file a lawsuit and take the case to court or demand arbitration, or possibly even both. Once a lawsuit is filed, the opposing party has 30 days to respond. Upon receiving all responses from all defending parties, the discovery process can be carried out, which involves witness testimony, expert testimony, depositions, and more. Once the discovery procedures are complete, a trial date is scheduled. This date can be immediate or months later; it all depends on current court traffic.