You have just been in a car accident in Arizona. Is it worth it to hire a lawyer? If you plan to seek an insurance settlement, then getting a lawyer is your best route. Especially if you have suffered an injury or the insurance companies are trying to accuse you of fault for an accident you didn’t cause.
Is it Worth Getting an Attorney for a Car Accident in Arizona?
It is always worth it to hire a car accident attorney who can help you fight back, even if you are too injured to fight, to get the full settlement you need for medical and repair bills.
A car accident is an inherently traumatic experience, and the behavior of insurance companies afterward only makes it worse. Insurance companies spend all their time pointing the finger, accusing each other’s clients of being at fault while trying to minimize the amount that either will have to pay in settlements. It’s a hostile situation no matter how you slice it, and getting a fair settlement is made as difficult as possible if you have been injured or your property has been damaged.
Why is a Lawyer Important After You’ve Been in a Car Accident?
There are Three very important reasons why it’s worth it to hire a Phoenix car accident lawyer after a crash?
- The insurance companies are arrayed against you, even though it’s their job to pay for your injury recovery.
- A lawyer can help you seek the full value of your damages, beyond the obvious or what insurance will tell you about.
- A lawyer will fight for you if you are too injured to fight for yourself.
Insurance companies often try to shift blame, minimize the severity of medical need, and take advantage of the time it takes for people to recover. Their goal is to pay as little money as possible, and slip past you that they are lowballing your settlement.
Is it worth getting an attorney for a car accident? Absolutely, if you plan to seek a settlement. The car accident attorneys of Hutzler Law will ensure that you get the full settlement that you deserve based on the extent of your injuries and property damage. Cotact us by calling 602-730-4530 or through our online form.
Contingency Protection is Always Worth It
When asking yourself if it’s worth getting an attorney for a car accident, remember that it’s free to try. You don’t lose anything from consulting with a car accident attorney and asking about your case. In fact, you won’t be charged legal fees unless/until you receive a settlement. Even then, your legal fees will equal only a percentage of the settlement.
That’s what it means when your lawyer works on “contingency”. Seeking help doesn’t cost you anything, and legal fees are only a consideration if you win. This means it’s always worth it to talk to a lawyer after your accident.
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Identifying Damages You Didn’t Know You Could Claim
Once a lawyer is working on your car accident case, they will immediately help you identify the full scope of damages you can claim. Most people aren’t familiar with the subtleties of personal injury claims, but your car accident lawyer will be.
- They can help you ask your doctor the right questions to get a full medical report and recovery plan, ensuring 100% of your medical expenses are considered – not just compensation for the doctor trips you’ve already had.
- Your lawyer will advise you not to ignore delayed pain, and to have any late-appearing symptoms added to your diagnosis and settlement.
- If you are having emotional or sleep disturbances after the accident, your lawyer can include these damages in your settlement even if you might have tried to just soldier through.
- Your lawyer will also remind you not to overlook things like missed work, reduced earning capacity, and pain & suffering you’ve endured as clamable damages. It’s all in the books and, therefore part of what you deserve.
Protecting You From Accusations of Fault
Insurance companies in Arizona love to play “the blame game” to limit the amount they have to pay. Your lawyer can protect you from being falsely accused of being at fault for an accident, or defend a very low percentage of fault to ensure you get the most from your damage claim.
Arizona is a comparative fault state. Each driver in an accident is assigned a percentage of fault from 0 to 100.
What the insurance companies love is that you are only allowed to claim the percentage value of your total damages for which you are not at fault. In simpler terms, if you claim $100,000 in damages but are 15% at fault, you can only claim 85% of the value, or $85,000 of your total damages. Because the insurance company would have to pay less if you share fault, they will try to paint you as inattentive, reckless, or otherwise at least partially at fault for the accident – no matter what really happened.
Your lawyer will intervene if insurance companies try to point the finger to reduce your rightful settlement. An experienced Arizona car accident lawyer knows all the tricks insurance companies use to falsely attribute fault and reduce settlements.
Pursuing Your Claim During Injury Recovery
Injury recovery takes time. In fact, it can take you mentally out of the game for weeks or months to recover from a severe injury. Even if you are not foggy from pain, medication, and trauma, you may still need your energy for healing and recovery – not bureaucratic combat.
If you have been injured in a car accident, you’re likely in no shape to run around fighting insurance companies. The process of filing and defending a claim involves a lot of tracking down bureaucracy, collecting evidence, and filing paperwork. Insurance likes to do most of their underhanded claim assessment behind the scenes, and it takes a lot of energy to fight their blame game, file all your damages, and defend your full settlement value.
Your lawyer will also defend you from insurance-recommended doctors whose job is to minimize the report of your injuries in order to minimize your medical claim.
Insurance companies often set time limits during that critical injury recovery time before their settlement offers are set. Your lawyer will take care of defending your claim so that you can focus your time and energy on healing from your injuries.
Suing the Responsible Driver for Personal Injury
What happens if the costs of your medical treatment or long-term recovery are greater than the other driver’s insurance policy can cover? In this case, your lawyer will be able to provide a service above and beyond managing your insurance claim. An experienced Arizona car accident attorney can also help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver for the full amount of your damages.
Personal injury lawsuits allow you to pursue a larger settlement, which will be able to cover the treatment for more severe injuries, replace a valuable totaled vehicle, and provide for long-term care if you are temporarily or permanently disabled as a result of the accident. Your lawyer will help you build a case and hold the responsible driver accountable for the full scope of damage they have caused to you, so that insurance limits do not leave you injured with no recompense for the loss.
When to Call a Car Accident Lawyer
It’s best to contact a lawyer soon after your car accident, as soon as you are able. You can also ask a friend or family member to get in touch with lawyers on your behalf if you are still in the hospital immediately after the crash.
While you will need to report the accident to your insurance company immediately, it’s best to give only the most basic details, then work with your lawyer on providing the details for your claim. From that point on, your car accident attorney will help you pursue and defend your claim and prepare a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary, to fully cover both your losses and predicted future expenses as a result of the accident.
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Finding the Right Car Accident Lawyer in Arizona for Your Case
Is it worth getting an attorney for a car accident? Yes. It is especially important to have a lawyer by your side, helping you to fight for the best possible settlement, if you or others in your vehicle suffered an injury. The key is to find the right attorney with the skills, experience and rapport to help you through this difficult time. The car accident lawyers of Hutzler Law are here to provide the guidance, defense, and support you need to complete your insurance claim successfully and, if necessary, help you attain the full value of your damages through a personal injury lawsuit.
Hutzler Law is a Top-Rated Phoenix personal injury law firm that helps victims of accidents and injuries recover and get the compensation they deserve. Feel free to call us at 602-730-4530 or contact us online to schedule your initial consultation.
Jason Hutzler
Jason Hutzler is the founding partner of Phoenix personal injury law firm Hutzler Law, and represents individuals throughout Arizona. His practice is primarily dedicated to personal injury and car accident claims, leveraging his deep expertise as a former insurance adjustor to navigate the complexities of insurance negotiations.