No matter careful you are or how much you try to avoid dangerous situations, accidents have the potential to occur anytime, anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about dog bites, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, bike crashes or other common accidents, they happen more than you might think.
Where there are accidents, there are going to be lawsuits or at least the potential for lawsuits. When it comes to personal injury cases, the most common types are medical malpractice, auto accidents, product liability, wrongful death claims and premises liability. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that motor vehicle accidents make up a little more than half (52%) of personal injury cases, followed by medical malpractice (15%) and product liability (5%).
With more than 200 million licensed drivers in the United States, the potential for accidents is understandably high on the road. In fact, the National Safety Council estimates that more than 40,000 people were killed in auto accidents in 2017 alone. Drugs and alcohol play a factor in auto accidents as well. More than a million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol in 2015. Drugs other than alcohol factor in as well and are responsible for 16% of motor vehicle crashes.
If you’re involved in a car accident, a construction accident or another type of dangerous situation, there’s potential for life-threatening injuries, loss of wages and benefits and high medical costs among numerous obstacles you might face. Keep a detailed log of the accidents and any injuries you sustain is a good idea, but you’ll also want to consult accident lawyers or personal injury lawyers.
If you think you’ve got a strong case for a personal injury claim, but are unfamiliar with the legal system, you might be wondering, What can accident lawyers do for me? The short answer is a lot. Personal injury lawyers and accident lawyers are experienced with handling accident claims, personal injury law, dealing with stubborn insurance companies and can dispense plenty of legal advice.
Benefits to hiring a personal injury or accident attorney include:
- Knowing Your Worth: Plain and simple, accident lawyers know how much your claim is worth. If you’re unfamiliar with the legal system, odds are you have no idea how much money you might be entitled to, especially if you’ve experienced life-threatening or life-altering injuries as the result of an accident. Based on previous experience they’ve had in dealing with folks just like you who’ve been involved in auto and construction accidents for example, accident lawyers will know how much you could potentially get in a settlement.
- Giving You Leverage: More often than not, insurance companies push people to try and settle accident claims without going to court. That’s a big reason that more than 90% of all personal injury cases are settled pretrial. Rather than feeling forced to settle, a personal injury attorney can help give you leverage if your case goes to court. It gives you a person in your corner who can deal with insurance companies and go to bat for all that you might be owed.
- They’re motivated: Some personal injury lawyers don’t take a fee until they get you a settlement. Keep in mind that accident lawyers usually get about a third of whatever your settlement is in a case. It’s true that legal advice isn’t always free, but having a lawyer to guide you in a complex case can be worth a lot more than money.
- Knowing the Process: Whether dealing with cases with construction accidents, dog bites or auto accidents, accident lawyers are well-versed in the legal process and can help you file proper paperwork, complete important forms and give you legal advice. The last thing you want is to get shortchanged in a settlement because something got overlooked.
With such a high rate of accidents everywhere you look, the chances of needing a personal injury attorney are great and consulting one has many potential benefits. Personal injury lawyers are motivated to help you, are familiar with the legal process and can give you leverage against insurance companies to increase your settlement.