When you are in a car accident, the first thing you feel is shock. The problem with a car accident is that you often don’t know what injuries you sustain because they are internal. The reason that people get hurt in collisions is because of inertia. Just because the car comes to an abrupt stop upon hitting something, that doesn’t mean that the internals of the body does.
When you are a victim of a car accident, your internal organs are jostled around, typically without you even being aware. So, although you may think that there is no harm done, the damage is normally not seen for months, or even years after an accident.
If you are a victim of a car accident, it is imperative that you have a doctor’s evaluation immediately. Should you sustain an injury, you are going to need immediate documentation of what happened and how the injuries were caused by the accident specifically. Most people will negate being taken to the ER or going through the arduous time to take tests, but that is a big mistake. If you wake up the next week with a bulging disk, there is no way to relate it directly to the accident, unless you have diagnostic proof.
When you are in an accident, you also have to know what your obligations and time frame is to file suit with an auto accident lawyer Santa Ana. Obviously, if you are in a serious car collision, and there is severe damage, it is going to be documented. The problem becomes making sure that in the post-injury phase you are paying attention to the details necessary to get the ball rolling and to get the help you need. The first line of defense to your legal matters is going to be to hire a personal injury attorney.
Why do you need a personal injury attorney?
A lawyer who specializes in personal injury will understand what steps need to be taken to prove your case, and they will also know how long you have to file. When you are recovering from a car accident, the last thing you want to worry about is suing someone. You should be focused on getting better. The problem is that many jurisdictions have a very short frame of time for your file a lawsuit of negligence against another vehicle driver. There is something called a statute of limitations, which is usually about three years, but that is specific to where your collision is reported.
A lawyer will help you choose the right tests for diagnosis
There are certain tests that you will need to prove your case in a court of law. A lawyer will know what type of professional you will need to get the diagnosis necessary to prove your case. They will know the medical professionals who know what to look for and have the expertise to diagnose certain conditions that may be overlooked by general practitioners.
They can stop you from moving forward without warrant
There are times when it is not sensible to go to court over an injury. Settling for a disclosed amount makes better financial sense in some cases. Although you never want to take a settlement only to find that you absolved someone from responsibility years later, you also don’t want to spend your time and resources being held up in court to find that you don’t even have a case, to begin with. A personal injury lawyer is an expert who will tell you what your chances are of winning a case, whether you have a case at all, and what amount is feasible. They will also be able to advise you if you should settle the case without going to court or fight in a court battle to get fair compensation for your injuries.
When you are in an accident, the first thing you want to do is to take care of yourself and give yourself time to heal. That is why hiring a personal injury attorney is the best scenario. You can focus on what you need to do to get better and let them handle the logistics of liability. If you don’t take the right steps, you could be out of luck, and have a huge bill to pay without anyone to help you out.