You should consult a car accident lawyer from Towey Law to help you determine what compensation you may be entitled to. They can deal with insurance companies, and if they are unable to secure a fair offer, they will take the matter to trial.
Consult a lawyer if you have high medical costs, believe you are being unfairly blamed for an accident you did not cause, or are wondering whether you should accept a settlement. An attorney should offer you a free initial consultation in which they assess your case.
Will a Lawyer Advise You to Settle After a Car Accident?
In most car accident cases, a lawyer will be able to negotiate a fair settlement. If so, they will advise you to settle out of court. Even though they may not represent you in a courtroom, your lawyer will still work to improve outcomes. Their knowledge and experience benefit you by:
- Gathering and preserving evidence that justifies your claim
- Managing records and paperwork, meeting deadlines, and fulfilling legal requirements
- Calculating and claiming all damages, including future damages like reduced earning capacity
- Valuing, motivating, and claiming non-financial damages like pain and suffering
- Protecting you from tactics that may have led you to accept low settlement offers
- Reducing your stress at a time when you should be focused on your recovery
A diligent lawyer will advise you to go to trial after a car accident if they believe it will make a
significant difference to your compensation, and they will recommend that you settle if the closing
offer is fair.
Will I Get a Better Car Accident Settlement If The Case Goes to Trial?
Whether you get a better settlement after taking a car accident case to trial depends on several
factors. In some cases, trials result in higher awards because courts often attach greater weight to
non-financial damages, such as pain and suffering.
When there are disputes about liability or settlement negotiations stall for other reasons, you may
need a court to hand down a final verdict. An experienced lawyer will know how strong your case is
and can predict outcomes with reasonable accuracy. They should be able to explain the reasons for
any recommendation they make, whether it is accepting a settlement or going to trial for your injury.
It usually takes some negotiation to optimize settlement offers. When insurance company
representatives encounter a lawyer with strong negotiating skills who has built a compelling case,
they often prefer to avoid the cost of a lawsuit. They offer reasonable compensation, and you do not need to go to court. The figures show how common this outcome is. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), only 3-4% of personal injury cases go to trial. Most of these are car accident cases.
After a Car Accident, Do You Need a Lawyer to Claim a Settlement or Sue?
You can claim or sue without appointing a lawyer, but doing so limits your chance of getting fair
compensation. You may not know how to present an effective claim that includes all the damages
you may be entitled to. If you decide to negotiate or sue without representation, you will likely face
experienced insurance lawyers. They will seek ways to limit liability and will be very well prepared.
They will:
- Gather and present evidence to support their case
- Look for any areas of your case that are open to challenge
- Ask you to answer difficult questions in which a word out of place harms your case
Our Buffalo distracted driving accident lawyer knows how to handle the process and won’t charge you upfront fees. Instead, you will only pay if you win. Even when considering these costs, you have a better chance of achieving a fair outcome when you have representation. If you are wondering whether to settle or go to trial after a car accident, consult us.