What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?
By Darrell Cochran Law
After a car accident in Seattle, Washington, you can be faced with challenges, including physical injuries, unexpected medical costs, missed time at work, and other losses. What does a car accident lawyer do to help after a crash?
Your car accident lawyer will help you negotiate with insurance companies and handle your personal injury lawsuit at every stage. A Seattle car accident lawyer will collect evidence, build your legal strategy, negotiate with insurers, and take your case to court when justice depends on it.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Seattle
Handling the aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming. Follow these steps to protect yourself and your interests.
Get Medical Attention
The most important thing you should do immediately after a car accident in Seattle is to seek medical attention. You could have serious injuries or even injuries you don’t know about yet. Some conditions, such as concussions and internal bleeding, might not be obvious right away.
Get medical help right away. Receiving prompt medical treatment can also create a record of your injuries, helping you in a personal injury claim later.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
After you’ve been seen by a healthcare provider and handled the immediate aftermath of the accident, you should contact a Seattle personal injury lawyer. The sooner you get skilled legal help, the sooner you can take action toward your financial recovery.
At your initial consultation, a car accident lawyer will review the facts of your accident, look at the evidence involved, and develop a potential case strategy. The lawyer will know what evidence still needs to be obtained to advance your claim and how to prove legal liability in your case.
There is typically no fee involved to hire a car accident lawyer. Most personal injury law firms, including ours, will represent clients on a contingency fee basis. This means you owe no legal fees unless we win your case. There is no financial risk involved when you meet with a lawyer.
How a Lawyer Helps During the Insurance Claim Process
A car accident lawyer’s goal is to maximize financial compensation for their injured client after a serious accident. In a car accident claim, the lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company responsible for overseeing the accident claim. Insurers look at the factors involved with the accident, the injuries involved, and the costs of making someone “whole” again financially.
Compensation in an insurance claim can be connected to:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Reduced future income due to the accident
- Property damage
- Costs of ongoing and future medical treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Wrongful death
A Seattle car accident attorney knows what your legal rights are and knows the tactics insurance companies will use to downplay or deny your claim. A lawyer will fight back against the insurer to push for what their client deserves.
Filing a Lawsuit in a Seattle Car Accident Case
Your lawyer will fight hard for a fair settlement during the insurance claim. If the claim is not settled through insurance, your attorney will file a personal injury lawsuit.
The legal process in a Washington car accident case often involves:
- Filing the lawsuit
- Filing motions and other pretrial documents to advance your case
- Taking part in mediation and settlement talks to try resolving your case
- Conducting depositions to build information about the case and fine-tune your trial strategy
- Hiring expert witnesses to review the evidence and testify on your behalf
- Taking your case to a jury trial whenever needed
An experienced car accident lawyer will pursue all possible legal options to obtain the financial payment you need after a devastating car accident.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Seattle, WA
For more information, contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer to schedule a free initial consultation. We have convenient locations in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington.
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Seattle
701 5th Ave Suite 4300, Seattle, WA, 98104
(253) 948-0250
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Tacoma
909 A St Ste 700, Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 264-0225