People get in car accidents every day and many times choose to handle the claims process on their own. They don’t think that they need to hire an attorney and would rather just get through it quickly. While this may be the fastest way to get minimally compensated, it is rarely the right choice.
Here are a few reasons why you should hire a car accident lawyer in New Orleans if you’re involved in an auto accident:
1. You Will Probably Need Help with the Property Damage Claim
The first item that will have to be addressed in your car accident case is the damage to your vehicle. Insurance companies have a tendency to lowball customers and may not readily make rental vehicles available while repairs are being completed. Having a property damage lawyer assist you with the claim can make sure that the property damage portion of your claim is handled fairly and efficiently.
2. You Will Likely Obtain Less for Your Bodily Injuries if You Don’t Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
The biggest leverage point in any personal injury claim is the threat of a lawsuit. Why? Because filing a lawsuit makes an insurance company have to spend money on a lawyer to defend the case and puts them at risk of losing in court. If you decide to negotiate with the insurance company without a lawyer, this threat is not present and will have a direct impact on the amount of money that they will offer.
Attorneys also understand precisely what the insurance company requires to settle a claim. Insurance companies are just businesses and have to justify decisions to pay money to injured people. The way they do this is by requiring documentation and an explanation of why they should pay a given amount for a claim. If you are unable to do this, they will ultimately pay you less for your claim.
3. You May Not Understand All of the Insurance Coverage Available to You
Car accidents may seem like simple cases. Sometimes they are, but many times they are anything but simple. One of the most difficult aspects of any car accident case is determining all of the available insurance coverage.
For example, if you are a passenger in a car that gets into a wreck with a negligent driver, there may be several different insurance policies available to you: (1) the liability policy of the driver of the other vehicle; (2) the uninsured/underinsured motorist policy of the vehicle you were in at the time of the accident; and (3) your own uninsured/underinsured motorist policy. However, to be compensated under these policies, you will have to properly present and document your claim to the different insurance carriers.
If you don’t fully understand the options available to you, it can leave you with fewer chances of getting covered for your losses.
Call a New Orleans Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in an auto or truck accident, it can be a very stressful process. There’s no reason for you to try to go through it on your own. Call The Mahone Firm at (504) 564-7342 to discuss your potential case with a car accident lawyer and get the help that you need.
