Accidents can be ugly, traumatic, stressful, life-threatening, and life alternating. Even if a victim suffers from minor cuts and scrapes, the imprints of mental trauma and PTSD can be painful to overcome. And, the monetary damage and emotional turmoil that’s caused by serious injuries are unfathomable. Road accidents are the leading cause of premature death in Seattle. If you or somebody you know is suffering from similar losses, you must contact a reputable injury attorney in Seattle as soon as possible.
Before we can take you through the many techniques to identify the right attorney, we’d like to insist on a few factors that will play a crucial role in determining the settlement amount you will receive. Have a look!
- If an accident isn’t reported, no matter the extent of damage, you cannot file a claim.
- In most cases, the insurance company has to be informed about the accident within 24 hours.
- Even if you’ve suffered from minor injuries, you will not receive any compensation if you will not visit a hospital.
- If you didn’t go to the hospital initially but the symptoms occurred, later on, the chances of receiving a claim are negligible.
Clearly, no matter what, the two takeaways are, a) seek medical advice no matter what and b) inform your insurer about the mishap. That being said, the next thing you should do is hire an accident attorney instead of trying to tackle the insurance people on your own.
Never sign any settlement paper that the insurance companies provide you without the advice of a lawyer. The role of a skilled lawyer is so stressed upon because of the following two reasons.
- Insurers can’t fool experienced accident attorneys – Legal teams that tackle insurance claims day in and day out know all the tricks that insurers try to use to pay less. Besides, they can’t be fooled in the name of the law. They practice it regularly.
- The result of your case depends upon the skills of the lawyer – The right lawyer is a strong negotiator and an even stronger practicing attorney. Strong negotiation skills are important for an out-of-court settlement and practicing skills are pivotal if the case reaches the court.
3 Ways to Analyze that Your Lawyer is Worth Your Trust
It is natural to lose your way because there are hundreds of attorneys and law firms in Seattle. However, the limited few you can trust can be identified by adopting the following metric.
- Reputable attorneys offer free first consultation services.
- Trusted lawyers and law firms don’t charge upfront fees.
- Experienced lawyers never make the mistake of treating all accident cases as the same.
As long as you’re mindful of all the factors we have listed above, it’s very unlikely that you’ll end up with an average lawyer that could lessen your chances of getting a fair settlement.