Do I Still Need a Car Accident Attorney After a Car Accident That Wasn’t My Fault?
If you are involved in a car accident, you may think that because the car wreck wasn’t your fault, you don’t need a lawyer. The reality is, even if you did not cause the car accident, it may be a good idea to seek legal representation to prove that you do not share in the fault.
While you never have to get a car accident attorney, securing representation early on can be beneficial in the claim filing process as well as bringing forth any lawsuits against the negligent party. This allows you to be a step ahead of the negligent party.
The car accident lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys explain why you should get a lawyer for a car accident that wasn’t your fault.
What Can A Lawyer Do For You in a Car Accident That is Not Your Fault?
Even if you are not at fault for a car accident, an auto accident attorney can help you navigate the legal process you soon will be part of. This includes answering questions you may have, discussing your legal options, and representing you should the case go to court.
Further, a car accident lawyer can establish negligence for the accident and help build a case against the liable party. Even though you may think your insurance company is there for you, the reality is it cannot provide you legal advice and it will try to pay out your settlement for as low an amount as possible. Even if it’s been established that the accident is not your fault, the insurance company could still try to find some way to blame you for the crash so it does not have to pay the full amount of your car accident claim.
By hiring a personal injury lawyer from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, you are not only protecting your personal injury claim but have an ally in the fight to get the compensation you deserve. A car accident lawyer can do the following to make sure your voice is heard.
Gather Evidence
Even if you are not at fault, the negligent party and their insurance company is going to look for any evidence that you shared in the cause of the accident. However, with the proper resources and guidance, you and your lawyer will be able to gather evidence to establish liability in the case.
This includes:
- Obtaining the police report that includes details of how and when the accident occurred
- Gathering witness testimony
- Collecting physical documentation including vehicle damage, photos of the scene of the accident, and potentially footage from nearby traffic lights and security footage from local businesses
- Reconstructing the accident via expert testimony and specialists
- Speaking with your doctor to understand the long term medical needs you may have
Establish Negligence
Once all available evidence has been gathered, your car accident lawyer can begin to establish negligence.
To prove negligence, your lawyer will need to establish that:
- The other driver owed you a duty of care to drive safely.
- The driver breached this duty of care.
- The breach in care caused the accident.
- You suffered damages as a result of the accident.
Depending on your state’s laws, you may share in some of the fault, which can impact the amount of reward you receive. However, if you are truly the victim of a preventable collision, a lawyer will be able to prove this.
Allow You To Focus On Recovery
Not all injuries following a car accident appear right away. In fact, many take days or weeks to fully emerge.
Common car accident injuries include whiplash, neck and back injuries, concussions, soft tissue injuries, lacerations, broken bones, and bruised ribs. Should you experience pain, swelling, tingling, numbness, weakness, stiffness, etc. in the days following your accident, you’ll want to seek medical attention right away.
All of this may seem overwhelming, which is why hiring an attorney can allow you to focus on recovery while they handle your case.
Calculate Your Total Losses And Rewards
It can be difficult to see the big picture of all the damages you’ve experienced as a result of the car accident. However, an experienced car accident lawyer will be able to calculate the financial awards you may receive, both economic and non-economic. This may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost wages (current and future)
- Punitive damages
It is important to note that if this is not the other driver’s first time causing a collision, there is the opportunity to secure punitive damages if the accident is heinously severe.
Some of these damages may be covered by your insurance and others may need to be settled in a lawsuit.
What Is the Legal Process for a Car Accident That Wasn’t My Fault?
Unfortunately, if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault, the negligent parties insurance company may try to lock you into a settlement right away by tricking you into agreements that diminish the value of your claim.
This may include getting you to admit fault, even if you have none, or trying to bully you into taking a lower settlement so you cannot seek future legal action in the future.
Will The Police Report Show I Was Not At Fault?
A police report will detail all of the facts of the case as they presented to the officer. However, this may mean that the officer could not say with certainty who is at fault.
This is why your lawyer will want to draw on the details of the police report to build your case that you were not at fault.
Further, your legal team can look into any tickets or arrests made against the other driver in relation to the car collision.
How Can Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Help Me in a Car Accident That Wasn’t My Fault?
If you are the victim of a car accident, you may think that you do not need a lawyer because it should be obvious you did nothing wrong. However, the negligent driver and their insurance companies will look for any sign of wrongdoing to negate liability and hold you responsible for your own losses.
At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we handle car accidents of all sizes and work with car accident victims to recover losses for their property damage.
Our car accident attorneys will help you throughout the legal process by:
- Negotiating with the insurance companies
- Calculating your damages to ensure you get the compensation you deserve
- Represent you in court
Remember, even if you are involved in a minor accident, you will want to seek legal representation should you develop injuries, were not at fault for the collision, or the insurance company denies your claim.
Our compassion legal team will review the cause of your accident, and begin to determine who is at fault for the collision. While you may not be at blame, the other driver may not be solely responsible for it either.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys will review potential third party liabilities to ensure you get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries and move forward.
For more than 60 years, the car accident lawyers from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have secured compensation for clients for losses associated with:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Long-term care
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
Work with an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
Money is no object when it comes to moving forward from a car wreck. We work on a contingency fee basis which means you don’t pay unless we secure a settlement or reach a verdict for your case. Our team will cover the upfront costs so you pay nothing out of pocket. This allows our clients to focus on recovery while we do what we do best–fight for you.
For a no obligation, free consultation, contact the car accident lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys by calling or use our online form.
