If you were recently injured in a car accident in Vermont, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries and financial loss. After an accident, you may be wondering if it is really necessary to involve a lawyer. Serious car accidents can leave you in pain and out of work, with medical bills piling up right and left.
You may even suffer long-lasting injuries or permanent disability. Combined with the stress of dealing with insurance companies, handling your own personal injury claim can be a nightmare. This post may help you if you are still on the fence about hiring an attorney after your car accident.
Financing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Unlike other legal matters, personal injury attorneys work on a contingency. This means there are no out-of-pocket costs for hiring a lawyer to handle your personal injury lawsuit. When you receive a judgement award, or accept a settlement offer, the attorney will collect a fee from the amount you recover. If you do not recover any money, your lawyer does not charge you anything.
A Personal Advocate
Insurance companies are not your friends. They stay in business by paying out as little as possible, and they know every trick in the book. Insurance companies might try to collect a statement from you immediately after the accident (before you’ve had a chance to consult with an attorney) to use against you at a later date.
They will deny claims that should have been covered. An insurance company will send you unfair, low-ball settlement offers. They might offer you a quick cash-out option to tempt you away from seeking fair compensation.
A personal injury attorney’s job is to make sure your interests are protected every step of the way. An experienced lawyer will ensure you are not tricked, taken advantage of, or cheated out of the compensation you deserve.
Vermont Laws and Procedures
Successfully litigating a personal injury lawsuit requires sophisticated knowledge of Vermont’s legal system, state codes, rules of procedure, and tort law. Unfamiliarity with the personal injury recovery process could be very costly.
Even a minor mistake could preclude you from recovering anything for your personal injury claim. An experienced personal injury attorney will possess the specialized knowledge necessary to bring your claim to justice.
Statute of Limitations in Vermont
As soon as an accident or injury occurs in Vermont, the clock starts ticking. A statute of limitations is a law that limits the amount of time someone has to bring legal action for a particular reason.
For personal injury cases, the statute of limitations in Vermont is three years. If you miss the deadline, you will be barred from filing a lawsuit for this injury forever. Lawyers understand how critical it is to file a timely lawsuit with the statute of limitations in mind.
Proving Liability and Negligence
In addition to knowledge about state codes and procedures, litigating a personal injury lawsuit requires a detailed understanding of the nuances of tort law. There are several specific elements that must be proven to establish negligence and/or liability in a car accident personal injury case. A skilled personal injury attorney will know how to craft a clear and convincing legal argument for a just outcome in your case.
Recovering More for Your Injuries
Underestimating the true value of their injuries is one of the biggest mistakes a person can make in a personal injury case. In order to recognize a fair settlement offer, you must understand all the potential damages you have a legal claim to recover and the economic value of these damages.
Attorneys have a specific method for calculating the amount of damages and the overall value of a personal injury claim. In almost every personal injury case, an injured person recovers more money with the aid of an attorney than they could get on their own. If you are unsure what your case may be worth, reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney.
A Skilled Negotiator
About 95% of personal injury cases settle out of court. Once you accept a settlement offer, you will no longer be able to sue for those injuries. It is important to hire an attorney that not only understands the value of your claim, but is also a talented negotiator. Often this means an attorney should be ready and willing to go to trial if necessary to collect a fair and just judgement for his client.
Risk of Financial Loss
Finally, when deciding if hiring an attorney is the right choice for you, you must weigh the financial risks and benefits. A serious car accident can cause huge medical bills and expenses. Depending on your injuries, you may need future surgeries or ongoing treatment for years. There is a good chance your car has been totaled.
You will probably lose wages during your recovery, and you might lose your job altogether if you are out of work for a long time. If you are permanently disabled, you may never be able to work in the same capacity again. These economic damages are easy enough to calculate, but recovering them from a defendant may not be as simple.
You can also be compensated for your pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. It can be difficult to put a price tag on these non-economic damages, but a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can help.
The financial and intangible burdens of a car accident are a lot to bear, especially when your pain is caused by someone else’s bad decisions. There is a lot to lose in a personal injury case, and a lot that can go wrong without proper legal representation.
Injured in a Car Accident? Call a Vermont Personal Injury Attorney Today.
If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, seek medical attention right away. Then call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at Sabbeth Law are experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate about helping individuals collect fair compensation for their injuries. Contact our office in Woodstock, Vermont to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.