What can you do to maximize your car wreck settlement or verdict?
For most people who are injured in an auto accident, the answer is simple – get an experienced car wreck attorney on board immediately after your accident.
An effective auto accident attorney will do a thorough investigation to gather and preserve evidence of liability and damages, and they will not settle your case quickly unless the insurance company agrees to pay full compensation.
You should demand full compensation and take your case to trial when the insurance company denies your claim or tries to pay partial compensation in a settlement.
Get a Myrtle Beach Auto Accident Lawyer on Your Side ASAP
The at-fault driver’s friendly, helpful insurance adjuster will most likely contact you quickly after your car accident…
Let your attorney talk to them for you – the adjusters are trained to minimize their payout any way possible, which includes getting you to make statements that will hurt you regarding liability or damages and attempting to get you to settle your case quickly and cheaply.
Don’t call just any attorney – find an experienced car wreck attorney who knows how to gather and present evidence of liability and damages, who knows how to negotiate with insurance companies, and who knows how to try an auto accident case to a jury when necessary.
Establishing Liability
While you are getting the medical care you need, we will begin a thorough investigation into the accident to establish liability. Evidence that proves liability may include ordinary eyewitnesses or expert witnesses including:
- An accident reconstructionist to determine exactly how and why the crash occurred;
- Cell phone experts can help to determine whether the at-fault driver was distracted just before the accident;
- Medical experts to testify about how the accident caused your injuries;
- A commercial vehicle (if a CV was involved in the accident) expert to determine if the trucking company neglected vehicle maintenance or if the driver and company were in compliance with federal regulations; and
- Eyewitnesses who saw the accident happen.
Maximizing Damages
Maximizing damages does not mean manufacturing damages or exaggerating an injury.
It means making sure that we know what your damages are – what categories of damages you are entitled to and the extent of your injuries including any future care that will be needed. Then, you need to make sure that your settlement includes full and fair compensation.
You can help with this by getting all the medical treatment you need in a timely manner, and by documenting everything – all your medical visits and treatments, records of all missed work, and any other expenses related to the accident.
We may recruit expert medical witnesses to testify how much your treatment has cost and will cost. A vocational rehabilitation expert can detail how your injuries affect your ability to earn income and function in daily life.
If you have suffered injuries that could lead to long-term disability, we may recruit a life-care planner to provide expert testimony about what resources will be required to provide reasonable care over the course of your lifetime.
We document your injuries in detail because the insurance company will attempt to deny or minimize the effects of your injuries and shortchange you on damages such as:
- Medical costs and future medical costs;
- Lost earnings;
- Pain and suffering;
- Property damage or loss;
- Psychological trauma; and
- Punitive damages, when appropriate.
Experienced Myrtle Beach Auto Accident Lawyers
As we gather evidence and build your case, we will still be negotiating with the insurance company. They might make offers, and we will make counteroffers, but, above all, we will demand full compensation for your injuries.
If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident in the Horry County, SC area, call the SC auto accident lawyers at Coastal Law now at (843) 488-5000 or contact us through our website to find out how we can help you to demand full and fair compensation for your injuries.
