How Much Does a Car Accident Attorney Cost?

If you have been injured in a car accident, you have probably considered hiring a personal injury attorney. You may have heard that lawyers are expensive and sometimes they are. However, a personal injury attorney only makes money when they are able to get money for you. Personal injury attorneys will generally offer a free consultation and work on a contingency basis. 

Insurance companies are staffed with legal professionals whose job it is to keep the company's money in-house. Personal injury attorneys are experienced in negotiating with insurance companies. Not hiring a lawyer can actually cost you more money in the long run. 

What information will my attorney need?

The more documentation you collect, the better chance you will have of getting the money you deserve. You should bring as much evidence as you can to your first meeting with your attorney.

What to do at the Scene

When you have an accident, you should call the police, wait for them to arrive and request a copy of the accident report. Never admit to guilt at the scene and collect the names of any witnesses.

You will want to go to see your doctor as soon as possible even if you feel fine. There are some injuries that a person can suffer in an accident that are not immediately apparent.

Be sure to make a copy of every doctor bill you have as well as any bills for alternative treatments such as physical therapy or massage. Save the receipts for any prescription or non-prescription medications that you may have had to take. If you have missed work due to your injuries, have the HR director of your company write you a letter stating how many hours you have lost.

If you have missed an important life event, or if you have been unable to go on a vacation that you already paid for due to your injuries be sure to bring evidence of that to your lawyer. If you required a maid during the time of your recovery, you will want to document the money that you paid them as well.

Calling the Insurance Company

You should call the insurance company as soon as you can. They may ask to tape-record the call, but you do not have to let them. 

There are two different kinds of auto insurance rules in the United States; fault and no-fault. In a no-fault state, a person's own insurance company is responsible for paying their insurance bills. In a fault state, the person who caused the accident is responsible for paying the bills.

Virginia is a fault state and your attorney can negotiate with the at-fault driver's insurance company for you. If you had personal injury protection and the other driver did not have insurance, your insurance company should pay your bills.

Once you have talked to your insurance company and you have provided them with your documentation they should accept or deny your claim. If they accept the claim they will give you a settlement offer, but you should never accept it without talking with an attorney.

An accident can seriously disrupt your life. However, a trained attorney can get you the money you need to get on the road to recovery. There are several really fine Harrisonburg car accident lawyers who can help.

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