It goes without saying that being involved in an accident where another party is at fault is far from a pleasant experience. You might be seriously injured, but even if you are not, the physical and mental after-effects can shape your life for months or even years after the event.
It’s not a situation to be taken lightly, but it’s not one that many people think about in advance. Of course, nobody plans or wants to be in an accident before it happens, but with the increase in accidents year on year (with last year as the exception due to quarantine) it is an eventuality it could be prudent to plan for.
Do your research in advance
Whilst finding a proven personal injury attorney after an accident is a much better tactic than representing yourself (more on that in a minute), identifying one in advance is the best move of all. That way, you will not have your decision-making powers affected by any medical or mental after-effects of an accident.
As if personal injury law wasn’t complicated enough, there are things that will vary from state to state, so you need to identify one in your local area. For instance, if you were anywhere near Alpharetta or indeed anywhere in Georgia for that matter, then a proven company like Horst Shewmaker would be a solid choice. Clearly, if you were over the other side of the country on Oregon or Washington, then you would have to choose differently.
Why hire a personal injury attorney at all?
The temptation might be, especially in the traumatic aftermath of an accident, to try and get exactly what you want by handling things yourself, especially if you feel like you have an indisputable claim.
However, this is often far from the best decision as you will need a specialist on your side for you to get everything you are entitled to. Remember, the chances are you are positioning yourself against an insurance company, who clearly has a vested interest in keeping any award down to the smallest amount possible.
In practical terms, this means they will have their own team of professionals on their side, who will know everything there is to know about this particularly complicated field of law. Taking all of this into account, trying to go it alone would seem imprudent at best, and having your own proven personal injury attorney could be viewed a less of a luxury and more as a necessity.
A few final thoughts
Advance planning for anything that could have a major impact on your life would seem like common sense, so identifying a proven personal injury attorney probably needs to be part of that plan. Not only is it better to seek out the best (if only to store their number in your phone for easy access) before you need them, it is a far better approach than making a poor emotional decision at a time when you will need the best advice possible.