If you have been in a car accident, you may be both physically and emotionally vulnerable. Insurance companies and other parties may try to take advantage of your fragile state to settle a case for less than you deserve. However, you can protect your rights by hiring an accident attorney as soon as possible after a crash.

An Attorney Will Handle the Insurance Companies

One of the best reasons why you should hire a car accident attorney is that he or she will handle everything related to the case for you. This could mean that your legal counsel will work with an insurance company to come to a settlement deal that is in your best interest. At a minimum, be sure to forward any settlement offer that you receive to your attorney for review. Generally speaking, it is difficult to renegotiate a deal after it has been signed and finalized. 

Legal Counsel Will Coach You Throughout Your Case

There are many ways that you could inadvertently jeopardize your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome in a car accident case. For instance, talking about the matter with a friend or colleague could provide leverage for an opposing attorney during settlement talks or at trial. It is also not a good idea to reveal too much to any doctor who you are instructed to see by an employer, insurance company or any other party. Finally, your legal representative will prepare you to testify at trial or give a statement during the settlement process. 

The Law Can Be Vague and Nebulous 

It is natural to think that the facts in a case are on your side. However, what you believe to be true and what the law says are often two different things. For instance, let's say that you were going faster than a posted speed limit at the time of a collision. In such a scenario, an opposing attorney may claim that you were partially responsible for the accident happening. 

If you didn't have an attorney by your side, you may be tempted to agree with that assessment or not know how to refute that claim. Fortunately, an attorney will likely be able to convince a jury that your speed had nothing to do with the collision and that the other party was fully responsible for it. 

Focus on Your Recovery

While your attorney gathers evidence and otherwise builds a case, you can focus on getting better. This means that you can get to your doctor's appointments, rest on the couch or do whatever else it takes to recover in a timely manner. Your attorney will send updates whenever there are new developments in the case that you should know about. 

Car accidents can cause serious injuries that may take significant time and money to overcome. Therefore, it is generally in your best interest to hire an attorney who can help hold those who hurt you responsible for their actions. As part of a settlement or jury award, you could receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages and any other costs incurred because of an accident.