A car accident is a traumatic experience. It can leave you not only with physical injuries but also with severe financial and emotional burdens. With its busy roads and different traffic conditions, Long Island witnesses many car accidents every year.
After getting involved in a car accident, you may wonder whether or not you need to hire a car accident lawyer. Well, the truth is that you need to hire a Long Island car accident lawyer. These experts will help you maneuver the complex insurance claims and create time to focus on your recovery.
Remember, medical bills and other related expenses can become overwhelming. Your car accident lawyer will guide you through recovery and show you how to document these expenses to have your insurance company compensate you.
A skilled car accident lawyer understands the legal system. They have handled personal injury cases and know what it takes for you to get the highest compensation from your insurer.
Besides, your car accident lawyer can handle the documentation of the accident and the evidence that your insurance company needs to give you the maximum compensation.
So, instead of trying to handle everything independently, read on to understand why you should hire a car accident lawyer in Long Island after a wreck.
1. They Understand the Legal Landscape
The legal landscape within which an accident occurs determines which procedures you should follow when claiming compensation from your insurer. These procedures ensure that your rights are protected, and justice is served.
Your Long Island car accident lawyers step in here. These experts understand that Long Island, New York, a densely populated continental island in the southeastern part of the state, with an extension into the Atlantic Ocean, operates under the no-fault insurance system.
With this knowledge, your car accident lawyer will advise you that if you were the driver in the car involved in an accident, you should turn to your insurance company to have them cover your medical expenses. Your insurance company should also compensate you for any other losses resulting from the wreck, regardless of who was at fault.
But this system is not as simple as it sounds. The no-fault insurance system could complicate the compensation for such things as pain and suffering associated with the wreck, especially if you do not sustain severe physical injuries.
Different states also have different definitions of serious injuries. In Long Island, New York, serious injuries include fractures. They also include significant disfigurement or injuries that can prevent one from performing daily activities.
Without legal experience, you could find this threshold confusing. But your specialized car accident lawyer knows how to determine whether your injuries meet the set standard. These gurus know how to seek compensation outside the no-fault insurance system. They’ll provide you with the necessary legal guidance to ensure you get compensation for all your losses.
Your car accident lawyer also leverages their understanding of the applicable legal system to understand which state laws support contributory negligence. In instances where there is fault sharing, establishing liability can be complex. Your lawyer can bank on their expertise to gather the evidence needed to build a case that can be a deal breaker for your claims process.
2. They’ve Mastered How to Navigate Insurance Claims
After a wreck, you can find yourself overwhelmed by the correspondence from your insurance agent. Insurance agents use cunning strategies to minimize payouts and delay your compensation.
Dealing with their dirty trick in an accident can be daunting. But with a car accident lawyer in Long Island, you can trust experts to make reasonable claims to the insurance company as you reclaim your mental and emotional stability.
Your lawyer can soberly and effectively communicate with your insurance agent to ensure the insurer gets to hear your side of the story. These experts will help gather needed documentation, including police reports, witness statements, and medical bills, to prove the extent of your suffering and losses.
You can also be at peace knowing that your lawyer keeps a calendar of all your vital deadlines; therefore, you won’t miss any. Missing deadlines, like the statute of limitations highlighting when you should file a claim after a wreck, can make you fail to get compensation.
In Long Island, the statute of limitations allows you to file an injury lawsuit up to three years from the day you’re involved in the wreck. These strict timelines need your full attention. And when you’re just from a car accident, you’re usually busy trying to recover and recollect. This makes it easier for you to miss these deadlines.
3. Representation in Court
Sometimes, negotiations and settlements fail. When this happens, you have to go to trial. For instance, you can take your case to court if you and your insurance agent disagree on fair compensation.
You will likely lose the case if you go to court against the insurer without an accident lawyer. A car accident lawyer has battled many insurance companies in court and understands how to present your case in such a way that guarantees you satisfactory compensation.
After all, insurance companies invest in reasonable attorneys to defend their interests. With your legal representation, therefore, you and the insurance agent have a level playing field upon which to protect yourselves.
These experts also understand the principle of fair compensation and are experts at ensuring you get nothing unfair. They know how to present arguments, witnesses, and evidence.
Conclusion
The aftermath of a car accident is a difficult time for the victim and those around them. Without the proper support, the victim can end up suffering from emotional trauma, in addition to the physical injuries.
At such a time, therefore, you need every help that can relieve you of your stress and allow you to focus on recovery. Accident lawyers do this and more.
They can represent you in court, negotiate with the insurance company for fair compensation, and ensure everyone upholds your rights. Your car accident lawyer can be your source of comfort, guidance, and relief at such a time, making the need to have a lawyer after a wreck undeniable.