5 Reasons To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer After an Accident
A car accident, a slip-and-fall accident, or any other type of accident can turn your life upside-down. Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Denver, CO, is an effective way to recover from an accident caused by someone else.
Roughly 50,000 personal injury attorneys help those scattered throughout the U.S. each year. Consider relying on one to provide legal representation in the aftermath of an accident.
Not sure if this is the right move? We’ve compiled a list of five reasons to hire a personal injury lawyer after an accident below.
1. Determine the Viability of a Personal Injury Case
Just because you were involved in an accident doesn’t automatically mean you can file a lawsuit against another party and win. In certain instances, it might not make sense for you to take legal action against another party following an accident.
Let’s say, for example, you were involved in a car accident in Denver. Colorado is a modified comparative negligence state, so you will not be eligible to recover any damages if you’re found 50% or more to blame for a crash.
You might also not be eligible to file a lawsuit against another party after an accident if the statute of limitations has passed. For car accidents in Colorado, the standard statute of limitations is 3 years. For other personal injury cases like slips and falls, the time limit is only 2 years. For claims involving a government employee who has hit you in an accident or is otherwise negligent resulting in a personal injury, other earlier time frames and notice periods may apply.
Additionally, you may want to reconsider the idea of filing a personal injury case after an accident if you don’t have enough evidence to create a compelling case. This could weaken your lawsuit and make it challenging to earn a legal victory in court.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer will make it easier to determine the viability of your case from all angles. An attorney can advise you of any issues that may prevent you from collecting compensation if you choose to move forward with a case.
2. Investigate a Personal Injury Case Further
Ideally, you should look for as much evidence as you can right after an accident if you suspect you might take legal action later. Take out your smartphone to snap photographs and videos of your accident scene, and speak with anyone who may have witnessed your accident about what they saw.
However, you shouldn’t stop there. By hiring a personal injury lawyer, you can take the evidence-gathering process to the next level. An attorney can assist you by investigating your case further and uncovering evidence that may not have come to light yet.
For instance, a personal injury lawyer will procure a copy of the police report after a car accident. They will also gather witness statements and any “body cam” footage taken by police. Further, they will also work on finding expert testimony (accident reconstruction, etc.) to help bolster your case.
As part of this evidence collection process, a personal injury attorney will conduct a complete liability investigation and evaluate your damages.
3. Take Care of Filing the Proper Personal Injury Paperwork
If you reach this point and would still like to press on with a personal injury case, hiring a personal injury lawyer will help make it official. You’ll appreciate having an experienced attorney on your side who can file the proper paperwork on your behalf.
A personal injury lawyer can also help with:
- Serving the defendant in your lawsuit
- Communicating with the legal team for the defendant
- Fielding document requests from the defense
- Scheduling depositions with the opposing attorneys
Your lawyer will also serve as an invaluable resource when you have questions or concerns about any aspect of your personal injury lawsuit. You’ll appreciate knowing there is someone you can lean on when you aren’t sure what to expect during a case.
4. Handle Personal Injury Settlement Negotiations
Many personal injury cases don’t ever land in courtrooms. The majority are settled outside of court during settlement negotiations. These negotiations are often intense, with both sides trying to figure out how to convince the other to agree to what they consider a “fair” settlement.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer will make this part of the lawsuit process simpler and less stressful for you. You can sit back and let an attorney take charge during negotiations, which sometimes include insurance negotiations with an adjuster.
A personal injury lawyer will help you avoid settling for a lowball offer from a defendant. They’ll also push the legal team for the defendant to provide fairer offers in the hopes of helping you avoid having to take your case all the way to trial.
5. Take a Personal Injury Case to Trial
Despite negotiating with the defendant’s legal team, you may ultimately be unable to work out a successful settlement in your personal injury case. Hiring a personal injury lawyer will let you bring negotiations to a close and take your case to trial, if necessary.
The last thing you want to do during a personal injury case is settle for significantly less than a lawsuit is worth. This could leave you with a mountain of medical debt and make it challenging to fully recover from your accident.
Your personal injury lawyer will make it possible to have your day in court. They’ll also ensure you’re able to keep your case strong from beginning to end by avoiding any medical treatment gaps and other potential pitfalls.
Interested in Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer? Give Us a Call Today
Do you believe hiring a personal injury lawyer could benefit you in a big way following an accident? Thomas N. Scheffel & Associates, P.C. would love to sit down with you to discuss your case and the circumstances that surround it.
Our law firm can also provide legal assistance in many other areas. For example, if you don’t have a will or need to update your estate plan, our trust and estate lawyers can help with those issues.
Begin by scheduling a consultation so that we can speak about your legal needs. Call us at 303-759-5937 today to make an appointment.