Drunk Driving Accidents FAQ
Do I Really Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
The short answer—YES! If you want to maximize the value of your case and recover the full dollar amount that you are entitled to by law, it is best to retain an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. It’s best not to hesitate! There is a long list of reasons to retain an attorney, ranging from not missing important legal timelines, dealing with the complexity of the law (determining the applicable case law, common law, and statutes that could apply to your case), dealing with insurance adjusters who are skilled at denying claims, to the risk of crucial evidence being lost or destroyed, to name a few. To maximize the value of your drunk driving accident claim, an attorney will determine how all of these factors apply to the specific facts and circumstances of your collision. They will also handle all of the complex details for you, and make sure your rights are protected.
While an injury victim does have every right to act as his own attorney and negotiate with a drunk driver’s insurance company, this strategy is fraught with peril. The insurance industry’s own studies show that they routinely pay out a lot more money when attorneys are involved. Specifically, a study conducted by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) reveals just how inadvisable it is to handle your own accident claim. The study found that claimants with accident injury attorneys received an average recovery three times that of claimants without legal representation. The claimants who were represented by an attorney made up approximately 80 to 90 percent of all claims paid out by the insurance company, while injury victims without an attorney usually received no compensation.
Use our national hotline at 1-800-529-7766 to discuss your situation with a lawyer who specializes in auto accident injury claims or Click Here to receive Free Legal Information.
Should I rely on the drunk driver’s insurance company to make a fair settlement offer?
NO! You can’t rely on the insurance to offer you a fair settlement. Because insurance companies are corporations, they strive to maximize profits for the benefit of their shareholders. Insurers accomplish this objective, in part, by finding justifications to deny claims and by persuading injury victims to accept “lowball” offers. While the adjuster for the “at fault” driver’s insurance company might seem friendly and helpful, the adjuster’s allegiance is to his employer. Insurance adjusters also know that individuals represented by car accident lawyers tend to typically receive substantially more for their claim than injury victims trying to handle their case without legal advice and guidance. So they obviously discourage victims from hiring an attorney, in order to pay them as little as possible.
Drunk drivers often speed and fail to engage in evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions, which often results in severe or even fatal injuries. Therefore, accident victims need to maximize their monetary recovery to cover expensive medical bills, lost earnings, vehicle repairs, and other types of damages. The best way to make sure you explore every avenue for potential compensation is to get legal advice from an accident attorney who specializes in drunk driving claims.
How Do I Receive a Free Case Review with an Experienced Attorney?
Drunk Driving victims and families who have lost loved one’s in collisions should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Injury victims have a limited time to file a car accident claim. If you want to make sure you file your case in time and learn about your rights and remedies, you can call our national hotline 24 hours a day/7 days a week at 1-800-529-7766 or CLICK HERE for Free Legal Help Today!
How Do I Determine What My Claim is Worth?
Every claim is unique, even when considering the same type of accident, such as a drunk driving accident. Car accident attorneys recognize that cases can have very different values, even when they appear alike to someone without experience evaluating car accident claims. Auto accident cases involve a wide range of facts and circumstances that affect whether a claim can be pursued and its monetary value. Assessing the value of an accident claim can be complicated because every state has its own legal process and laws, meaning results can vary from jurisdictions to jurisdiction, even within the same state. Deadlines for pursuing a claim, and permissible types of damages can also vary by state, to name a few.
Because of the severity of injuries common in drunk driving, injury victims should be aware that compensation might be available through insurance coverage beyond the “at fault” driver’s insurance auto insurance policy. Many times an experienced car accident lawyer can identify other sources of recovery, so that the policy limits of the other driver’s insurance company do not limit compensation available. Because there can be expensive medical bills, auto repairs, lost wages, and other damages, this can greatly increase the amount of money their clients end up with in their pocket.
The best way to get more information about the value of your claim and protect your legal right to compensation after being hit by a drunk driver is to consult an experienced accident lawyer with a track record of results. Dial 1-800-529-7766 for our national hot line for a no obligation, free case evaluation 24/7 or CLICK HERE for more help.