Should I Hire A Lawyer For A Car Accident?
If you’ve ever been in a property damage only car accident, you have most likely handled it with your insurance provider and had no issues. However, if you sustained injuries in a car accident and had to go to a hospital or urgent care for medical treatment and had to have follow up care then you should contact an experienced attorney to help you navigate through the insurance process and filing of claims and forms. When you are injured in a car accident in New York and need to seek medical care and treatment, your medical bills, in most circumstances, will be covered by No-Fault Insurance.
What Are No-Fault Insurance Laws?
New York is a No-Fault insurance State. This means that if you are injured in a car accident, the insurance company for the car you were in at the time of the accident will be responsible to provide you with No-Fault benefits. It doesn’t matter who’s at fault for the accident was. The law was designed to make sure that anyone injured in a car accident will be able to have their hospital and medical bills paid for. If you were a pedestrian, then the insurance company for the vehicle that struck you will provide No-Fault insurance benefits. So, for example, if you are driving your car and your car is insured by Geico Insurance, Geico will be responsible for paying your emergency room bills and follow up medical treatment bills, even if the other car struck you in the rear while you were stopped at a red light. Minimum benefits are up to $50,000.00.
The No-Fault claim must be usually filed within 30 days after an accident and all hospitals and doctors must file their bills in a timely manner in order to get paid. So you can see that there are different rules and time constraints that must be followed to receive the benefits.
If you were very seriously hurt and required extensive hospitalization and medical care, the minimum No-Fault benefits may not cover all of your medical bills and seeking out other insurance coverage will be necessary and the entire process gets complicated. Instead of opening yourself up for unexpected costs, consider hiring a lawyer in cases of serious injury following a car accident.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer?
The main reason people tend not to hire a lawyer is that they’re worried about attorney fees and wasting their money. An important thing to remember is that in New York a good auto wreck lawyer works on your case on a contingent fee basis. This means there is no up-front retainer fee or hour attorney fee. Instead, a New York accident lawyer will only receive an attorney fee if he or she is successful in recovering monetary compensation for your personal injury accident case.
Remember that the insurance company has many resources, investigators and employees who are all working to limit the insurance company’s liability and insurance payments. That is why you the injured victim needs a strong advocate and strong legal representation to work on your behalf to make sure all of the insurance forms are properly and timely filed and that you obtain the best compensation possible for your injury.
Any experienced car accident lawyer will know the tactics that insurance companies use to minimize claims. They also know the tricks these companies pull to reduce the final payout. Their initial offers may sound appealing, but they are often lower than the fair compensation amount would be.
Many people will take this settlement, but a good lawyer will continue negotiations on your behalf until you reach a fair deal. Insurance companies prey on inexperienced individuals to save as much money as possible. Once you have an attorney on your side, they’re less likely to take advantage of your inexperience.
While most car accident claims are settled outside of court, there are some situations in which litigation is necessary. If parties can’t reach an agreement on who is liable or can’t settle on a fair compensation amount, the court is the only option left. A good auto collision attorney isn’t afraid to go to court and fight on your behalf. You want an attorney who will aggressively pursue all options on your behalf including litigation.
If you have been injured in a car accident and are in need of a New York motor vehicle accident lawyer, at the Law Offices of Stuart M. Kerner, we have great experience in assessing personal injuries and their causes of actions. If you’d like a legal opinion on the value of your potential personal injury or have a question about your rights, contact my office at (718) 796-7900 or schedule a free consultation online so we can evaluate your personal case.
Injured in an Accident and Need Legal Representation? Trust a Bronx Accident Attorney Who Has Been Fighting For the Rights of Bronx Residents Over 20 Years!
If you are injured in an accident and are in need of a Bronx Accident Lawyer, Kerner Law Group, P.C., located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, will investigate, prosecute and negotiate with the insurance company of the negligent party to settle your claim and obtain compensation for you based upon the severity of your injury and your pain and suffering. If you would like a legal opinion on the potential value of your personal injury matter or have a question about your rights, contact one of our car accident injury lawyers toll-free at 718-796-7900 or click here to schedule a FREE Consultation online so we can evaluate your personal injury case.
Insurance companies have lawyers protecting their interest: Next to knowing what to do after an auto accident, having a Bronx Accident Attorney protecting your rights evens the playing field!
