What to Look for in a Car Accident Lawyer?
If you’ve been injured in a serious car accident, you may be dealing with the pain from your injuries, calls from the insurance company, medical bills piling up, and missed time from work. Having a tough lawyer fighting for you and taking care of some of these stressors can make a big difference. But, how do you know if you have the best car accident lawyers working for you? This article discusses what you should look for when seeking help from a car accident lawyer.
Car Accidents
Any car accident, regardless of how minor the crash is, is stressful. The most important priority for you in the days after a car accident will be to heal from your injuries. You will need to be attending doctor appointments and getting other medical attention so you can recover. You should not be worrying about getting a police report, calling the other driver’s insurance company, documenting your lost wages, and making sure you receive a fair settlement. When you have a skilled car accident lawyer handling your claim, you can rest easy and know that your car accident claims are being handled by a professional.
Why Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer: The Insurance Company
So, why do you need a car accident lawyer to help you with your accident claim? Three words: the insurance company. Insurance adjusters who handle car accidents like to make you think they will take care of you. They promise to pay your bills, fix your car, and make things “all better.” It’s important to realize that insurance adjusters are not paid to make things “all better.” They are paid to save the insurance company money. The insurance company is only concerned with its bottom line. Remember this: the other driver’s insurance company is NOT on your side!
Many of our clients, who have been involved in car accidents, say that they tried dealing with the insurance company on their own after their car accident until a recorded statement was requested or they got a low ball offer. The fact is that most car accident injury victims get larger settlements with an experienced personal injury lawyer to assist with their claim. If the insurance company makes a low settlement offer, an unrepresented person has no recourse because they can’t represent themselves in court. With an experienced personal injury lawyer fighting for you, your car accident lawyer can file a law suit and ensure you get a fair settlement.
Most car accident lawyers offer a free consultation and handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning they don’t get paid unless they get a recovery for you. So, there’s no reason not to at least talk to a car accident lawyer about your case. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by talking with a car accident lawyer.
Important Factors When Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer
When choosing a car accident lawyer, there are several things you’ll want to look for:
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You want a lawyer who will give you an ADVANTAGE over the insurance company
The insurance company will have its own team of car accident attorneys working against you to defend your injury claim. To get an advantage over the insurance company, you will need an experienced car accident lawyer with a track record of success to steer your case to victory.
At the Ritchie Law Firm, several of the attorneys on our team were insurance defense lawyers before deciding that they would rather help crash victims. We know how to bet insurance companies at their own game. This gives you an unmatched advantage over the insurance company and prevents you from getting hurt twice — once from the car accident and then again by the insurance company.
2. You want a lawyer who speaks YOUR language
Some car accident lawyers speak only in legal terms. The clients of such a car accident lawyer are often confused about the legal process. They aren’t equipped to make the best decisions for their cases because they don’t have a clear picture of what’s going on. It’s important for you to make the attorney you’re speaking with slow down and explain each legal concept to you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the process. This is YOUR case and it’s important that you understand everything that’s going on.
Your car accident attorney at the Ritchie Law Firm will speak your language. The Ritchie Law Firm personal injury attorney team has worked where you work, and they have experienced many of the same life hardships. The Ritchie Law Firm car accident attorney team has worked heavy labor and construction, been high school and middle school teachers, worked in telemarketing, and even one who has a CDL. Because of our experiences, we know how to explain the laws and issues related to your case in plain English, so you can understand and make the best decisions for your case. No need to worry about trying to figure out a bunch of big legal terms that can be hard to understand. Your car accident attorney team at the Ritchie Law Firm has been where you are and speaks your language.
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You want a law firm that is READY for trial, if necessary
When choosing a car accident lawyer, you want to make sure that you’re not getting a “settlement mill” that just settles every case and is afraid to go to trial. A car accident lawyer who settles every case and has no trial experience will NOT be threatening to the insurance company and will not get the largest possible settlement for you.
Your car accident lawyer team at the Ritchie Law Firm is equipped and ready to take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer for your insurance claim to cover your medical bills, as well as pain and suffering. Several of the attorneys on our car accident lawyer team are certified trial attorneys. The Ritchie Law Firm is prepared for anything the insurance company might throw at it. Our car accident lawyer team’s certifications and trial expertise has produced substantial verdicts and case results. Check them out here.
Car Accident Lawyer
It’s important to recognize that insurance companies will do almost anything they can to deny a car accident claim. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you can expect to be busy filing insurance claims not only for your injuries, but also for the property damage to your vehicle. You will need obtain the police report and provide that to your insurance adjuster. You can also expect to be requesting medical records and documentation for any lost wages. This means that you will likely be dealing with insurance adjusters at some point. Dealing with an insurance company is not as straightforward as it may seem. There are many traps which can negatively impact the value of your case. So, it is just commonsense that you would consult with a personal injury attorney about your case before you make a mistake.
Most personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation for personal injury cases. It won’t cost you anything to talk with them and get some advice. Then, you can decide whether you need a personal injury attorney helping you with your case before incurring legal fees.
Talk with a Virginia Car Accident Lawyer
If you have questions about how to settle a serious car accident case, the Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. If you are planning to handle your car accident claim without the help of a lawyer, it is best to get some advice before settling your claim. The experienced personal injury lawyers at the Ritchie Law Firm help car accident victims get the recovery they deserve after an auto accident. The best personal injury lawyers will have substantial recoveries for car accidents clients listed on their websites. Check out Ritchie Law Firm’s success with personal injury cases on our settlements and recoveries page.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Virginia and are concerned about dealing with the insurance adjuster after a Virginia car accident, your personal injury attorney at the Ritchie Law firm has you covered. The experienced, certified Virginia car accident attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm have helped thousands of injured victims from car accidents and their families recover the full compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at 800-277-6124 or by using our online contact form to learn about your legal rights.
DON’T GET HURT TWICE!! Your Virginia car accident attorney team at the Ritchie Law Firm will help you deal with the insurance adjuster after a Virginia car accident. We have helped thousands of injured people get the money they deserve after they’ve been injured. Call today to get your free case evaluation and free consultation — 800-277-6124.
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Ritchie Law Firm is a Virginia and West Virginia personal injury lawyer and car accident attorney law firm devoted to helping individuals who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence. The personal injury lawyers at the Ritchie Law Firm serves all of Virginia, while helping clients in cities and surrounding areas of Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Winchester also serves clients in West Virginia, including Martinsburg, WV.
