In the period that follows an auto accident, there can be a flurry of activity for the victim. The victim will be faced with making a number of crucial decisions and in most cases there is very little time to make them. The victim needs to first focus on arranging medical care and recuperating from the incident, there is little time or inclination for the victim to deal with things that are assumed to be the responsibility of the at-fault parties insurance company. Many people are not aware that getting compensation from an insurance company can be extremely difficult; it is the job of the insurance adjuster to keep any award as small as possible. The individual injured in the accident must decide quickly if it is in his or her best interest to hire an auto accident attorney in Miami.
To make this decision it may be helpful for the victim to know what an attorney can do.
Immediately following the accident:
The period immediately following the event is critical as it takes little time, for evidence to deteriorate. The goal of the attorney is to gather as much physical evidence as possible; this includes a copy of the police report, photos taken at the scene, getting eye-witness accounts, skid mark patterns, etc. During the first meeting between the victim and the attorney an attempt will be made to find out:
* If the victim thinks he bears any responsibility for the accident?
* If the claim goes to court, will it prosper?
* What are the immediate injuries and what is the long-term prognosis?
Once the auto accident attorney in Miami has a grasp of the situation, he or she can determine if pursuing a claim is in the best interest of the victim and if so, what settlement should be sought to cover all the physical and emotional pain, medical expenses and property damages. Once this has been decided, the attorney can file a claim on behalf of the victim who is now the client.
After the claim is filed:
One of the biggest bonuses of having an auto accident attorney is his or her knowledge of the law and the systems. All personal injury claims must be filed by certain deadlines; the attorney knows what the statute of limitation is, and knows exactly how to properly file the claim. During the time the client is healing, the claim will be logged with the court.
Performance in court:
In the majority of cases the claim will be settled out of court; an agreement will be made between the attorney who is your representative and the insurance company. However, if an out-of-court settlement proves to be impossible, the attorney will present your case in court, pushing for the maximum award.
