When Do You Need to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Pennsylvania?

Ryan Zavodnick | December 19, 2019 | Car Accidents

Car accidents are messy. They’re complicated and stressful. So are the days that follow, especially if you’ve suffered an injury or your property has been damaged. You may be entitled to compensation under Pennsylvania state tort law, but getting it probably won’t be easy.

Should you hire experienced personal injury attorneys in Philadelphia to help you get the money you deserve? Here are four reasons why you might really want to consider asking for a personal injury lawyer’s help.

You’re Being Blamed For The Crash

No one will want to accept responsibility (read: financial liability) for a car accident. No one. So, it’s pretty common for everyone involved (and their insurers) to point fingers and assign blame. If you live in a state like Pennsylvania, which has modified comparative fault rules, that could really hurt you and your ability to recover compensation.

In Pennsylvania, you have to be less than 51 percent responsible for an accident in order to seek and recover compensation. If other parties try to blame you, their tactics could hurt your take-home recovery or even bar it, altogether.

Your personal injury attorney can protect you. Your lawyer can make sure that any allegations of fault are supported by solid, legitimate evidence proving that you share blame.

Your lawyer can make sure that your accident is carefully investigated to ensure that the cause(s) are properly determined and that all liable parties are identified. Your attorney can gather evidence to suggest that fingers should be pointed at others – not you.

Personal injury lawyers have access to tools and resources that you don’t. They know how things work and what must be done to protect your claim.

You’re Dealing With an Insurance Company

Despite what they might say in ads on TV, insurance companies are not on your side. If you get injured in an accident, they won’t be interesting in making sure that you receive a check for all of your damages. Instead, they’ll make things difficult for you. They’ll try to take advantage of the situation and the fact that you don’t have an in-depth understanding of the law or the company’s claims process.

If you’re dealing with an insurance adjuster or company after an accident, you can take away their advantage and level the playing field by hiring an attorney to represent you.

Personal injury lawyers handle hundreds of injury cases. They know the players and the tactics they’ll use in negotiations. Personal injury lawyers know the law and can force insurance adjusters to play by the rules. Your chances of a successful outcome increase significantly when you have an experienced injury lawyer on your side.

Your Injuries Are Severe

You do not want to let insurance companies or other parties decide what your case is worth. They want to walk away knowing that they paid you as little as they possibly could. So, they’ll work hard to drive down the value of your claim. They might contest your injuries and argue they pre-dated the crash. They might say that you’re exaggerating and simply trying to milk them for extra cash.

How can you make sure your case is valued properly? That’s precisely where an attorney can help. Your lawyer can reach out to experts for help. Those experts can provide really beneficial insight into your injuries and how they’ll likely affect you – not only today but in the future, too.

Your lawyer will use this information as guidance and support for your claim. In negotiations, it’ll be much more difficult for insurers to dispute your demands when they’re backed by such strong data and respected opinion.

Your Case Might Go to Court

It’s true that most personal injury cases never go to trial. A very small majority – about 5 percent – might wind up there. There’s a good likelihood that your case won’t go to court. However, there’s always the chance that it might.

If that happens, you’ll want to make sure that you’re working with an attorney who has trial experience. Insurance companies have tons of lawyers. They’ll be prepared. If they know that you’re working without a lawyer, they might be more inclined to deny your claim and back you into a corner.

If you’re represented by an attorney, insurers know that you mean business. They’ll know that, should your case not settle, they’ll have to show up in court and attempt to win over a jury. Juries don’t tend to like insurance companies.

So, simply having an attorney represent you can make them take things more seriously. If your claim does proceed to trial, you can rest assured that it’s in good hands.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Philadelphia Today To Get Help With Your Case

To learn more and get the help you deserve, call Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers at (215) 875-7030 or contact us online.
You can also visit our law firm at 123 S Broad St #1220, Philadelphia, PA 19109.