Do you need an attorney if you were involved in an auto accident in Goose Creek? While the insurance companies might tell you otherwise, it is firmly in your best interests to have an experienced attorney on your side. This is especially true if you were injured in the accident.
5 Ways Your Attorney Can Help After an Auto Accident in Goose Creek
Why should you hire an attorney to represent you? Here are five ways your attorney can help after an auto accident in Goose Creek:
1. Explaining Your Legal Rights
Understanding your legal rights after an auto accident can be complicated—far more complicated than most people realize. While most people know that they need to deal with the insurance companies, most people don’t know that:
- The insurance companies are not required to explain your legal rights to you.
- The insurance companies are not required to help you determine the value of your claim.
- In many cases, filing an auto insurance claim isn’t your only option.
When you hire an attorney to represent you, your attorney will have your best interests in mind. Your attorney will explain everything you need to know, and he or she will help you make informed decisions while working to secure maximum compensation on your behalf.
2. Protecting Your Ability to Seek Just Compensation
When you have a claim for injuries from an auto accident, recovering just compensation is not guaranteed. The insurance companies will fight your claim, and if you don’t have the evidence you need, you won’t be able to recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Your attorney can protect your ability to seek just compensation. Your attorney can quickly collect the available evidence of liability before it disappears, and your attorney can assist with reporting your accident and filing your claim appropriately. Quickly preserving the available evidence is vital. While the insurance companies will (or, at least, they should) conduct an investigation, they focus on finding proof they can use to deny liability.
3. Helping You Avoid Costly Mistakes
Given that the insurance companies are not on your side, you must be very careful to avoid costly mistakes after your auto accident in Goose Creek. Some examples of errors we see accident victims make far too often include:
- Waiting to seek treatment for their injuries.
- Assuming that the insurance companies will treat them fairly.
- Settling their auto insurance claims too soon.
An experienced auto accident attorney can help you avoid these mistakes—among many others. Your attorney will give you advice during your free initial consultation and will be available to answer your questions throughout the recovery process.
4. Dealing with the Insurance Companies on Your Behalf
Another way your attorney will help you avoid costly mistakes is by dealing with the insurance companies on your behalf. Your attorney can file your insurance claim if you haven’t done so already. If you have filed an insurance claim, your attorney can start working with your claims adjuster for you—and your attorney can work to fix any mistakes you may have already made.
Far too often, auto accident victims leave it to the insurance companies to determine how much they are going to pay and when. This is not the approach you want to take. If you take this approach, you will receive less than you deserve. On the other hand, by hiring an attorney to take control of the process, you can feel confident that you are not unknowingly leaving money on the table.
5. Seeking the Full Compensation You Deserve
Auto accident victims are entitled to substantial compensation in many cases. Under South Carolina law, accident victims can recover compensation for their financial losses (e.g., medical expenses and lost wages) and their non-financial losses (e.g., pain and suffering). This includes losses incurred in the days and weeks following the accident and losses incurred in the future.
Again, you cannot rely on the insurance companies to calculate your losses. This is up to you—and to accurately calculate the total value of your claim, you need an experienced attorney. Once your attorney has a clear understanding of the long-term costs of your accident-related injuries, then your attorney can focus on seeking the total compensation you deserve.
As mentioned above, filing an auto insurance claim isn’t the only option in many cases. If you have a claim outside of auto insurance (i.e., a claim against the driver’s employer or an automotive manufacturer), filing this additional claim could be essential for maximizing your financial recovery. Your attorney will be able to identify all potential sources of monetary compensation and pursue all appropriate claims while you focus on improving.
Is Hiring an Attorney for an Auto Accident Expensive?
If you have questions about whether you need an attorney, you might also have questions about the cost of legal representation. Contrary to popular belief, hiring an attorney for an auto accident is not expensive. Here’s what you need to know about hiring a Goose Creek auto accident attorney at Deluca Maucher:
- Hiring one of our attorneys for your auto accident in Goose Creek will cost you nothing out of pocket.
- Your legal fees (if any) will be calculated as a percentage of the amount your attorney helps you recover.
- Since your attorney can help you seek total compensation for your accident-related losses, you can take home more with an experienced attorney.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with a Goose Creek Auto Accident Attorney Today
Of course, there are no guarantees, and delays and other mistakes can make it more challenging to recover the financial compensation you deserve. With this in mind, if you were injured in an auto accident in Goose Creek, we encourage you to contact us immediately. To speak with a Goose Creek auto accident attorney as soon as possible, call 843-572-1711 or request a free consultation online now.