Car Accident Lawyers: What They Can and Can’t Do for Their Clients

If you get in a car crash, and another driver hit your vehicle, then you must always take certain steps afterward. You must call the police so that they can make out a report. You must get the contact and insurance information of the other driver as well. 

Locating a competent car crash lawyer after an accident also becomes crucial sometimes. You don’t necessarily have to do it, but you may find that the accident’s circumstances make it advisable. 

In this article, we’ll talk about some things that a car accident lawyer can do for you, as well as some that they can’t.

They Can Tell You Whether They Think You Should Sue the Other Driver

If you go see a car crash lawyer after your accident, then maybe you’re not sure whether you should sue the other driver or not. Perhaps you feel that’s your best option, but you’re not an attorney, nor do you know the personal injury niche.

Your lawyer can give you their honest opinion on whether suing the other driver or their insurance company makes sense based on the crash details you give them. If your attorney has many years of experience in this legal niche, you should probably value their opinion. 

They Can Have Their Investigator Look into the Accident Details

If you decide that you want to move forward with a lawsuit, then the lawyer can have their investigator look at the details of the accident. Sometimes, your lawyer might have a whole team of investigators working for them, particularly if you hired a larger and more prestigious law firm.

The investigator or investigative team will work to find as much evidence as possible that proves your version of events. They might uncover videos or pictures of the crash, if any exist. They can locate the car accident report the police took at the scene. The more evidence your lawyer’s investigator can find, the more likely you can resolve your lawsuit satisfactorily. 

They Can Speak to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company

Your attorney can negotiate on your behalf with the other driver’s insurance company, should that become necessary. If you’re suing the other driver’s insurance company instead of the other driver, that probably means you’re in an at-fault state, and the other driver’s insurance company won’t admit that you didn’t cause the accident.

If you speak to representatives from the other driver’s insurance company, and you don’t have your lawyer there to advise you, then you might accidentally say something that weakens your case. Your attorney can keep you from doing that. 

They Can Fight for You in Court if That Becomes Necessary

If it turns out that the other driver or their insurance company won’t settle, then your lawyer can appear in court with you. They can argue on your behalf in front of a judge and jury. 

If they can do so convincingly enough, then they might force the other driver or their insurance company to extend a settlement offer. Most of these lawsuits don’t go all the way to a jury’s decision. Statistically, far more of them end with a settlement between the plaintiff and the defendant at some point.  

They Can’t Decide Whether to Accept a Settlement Offer

However, if the other driver or their insurance company offers you a settlement amount, then your lawyer can’t decide whether you should accept it or not. They must leave that decision up to you.

They can tell you whether, in their professional opinion, you should take the offer or whether they think you can get more if you refuse. Ultimately, though, you have to decide. The lawyer works for you, so they must live with your decision to take or refuse a settlement offer, regardless of whether they agree with it or not.

They Can’t Help You Recuperate Psychologically After the Accident

A lawyer can support you while you sue the other driver or their insurance company, and they might talk you through some tough times if you’re struggling after the accident. If you’re experiencing psychologically problems in the aftermath, though, there’s only so much your lawyer can do about that.

You may have PTSD after the crash. Maybe you can’t bring yourself to get back behind the wheel because you feel too traumatized. 

Your lawyer can’t help you with that, but a trained mental health professional can. You might find that therapy after the accident can benefit you.