Reaching Out: How The Right Legal Avenues Can Help

Why You Need a Personal Injury Attorney

15 January 2016 by Jessica Spencer

When a car accident happens, a series of negotiations ensue between the claimant and party responsible. In most cases, liability falls on the insurance company of the driver at fault. If you have been a victim of an accident, your concern is to get the highest settlement. To secure the right settlement you need legal representation to prove negligence. There are several steps involved in successfully negotiating a claim.

 Knowledge of Legal Terminologies

In every profession, there is a set of terms with unique meanings. For instance, lawyers may talk of reasonable doubt or hearsay. To successfully negotiate a claim, you need to understand terms related to personal injury claims. Some of the terms used in this field of law include liability, duty of care, damages and breach of duty. These concepts must be understood so as to be applied correctly. In light of this, it is best to hire a personal injury claim attorney, such as RAMSDEN LAWYERS, who is well versed with such legal terminologies. The attorney will negotiate on your behalf. He or she will also be in a better position to communicate with insurance adjusters on their level.

Determine Negligence

All drivers need to uphold a duty of care when driving. When this has been breached, they are said to have acted negligently. To win your case, the attorney must define the duty of care in that particular instance and determine that this was breached. He must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the carelessness of the driver caused injury to you, the claimant.

Prove Liability

Liability refers to the legal obligation and responsibility. Once the attorney has established negligence, he must prove liability. Proving liability can be complicated, because more than one party may be liable. There are instances, when car defects may be a result of negligence on the manufacturer. Insurance companies attempt to make other parties assume liability and this is why you need an expert negotiator. When liability is shifted to another party, the claimant may end up losing or getting shortchanged.

Verify Damages

Damages include property damage and personal injuries as a result of the accident. Damages need to be verified by physician records, medical bills, repair estimates and other related documents and even photographs. When calculating damage, the impact of the accident on the individual must also be factored in. For instance, compensation should be given in the event that one is not able to resume work for a certain duration of time. As evidenced, successful negotiation requires the expertise of a personal injury attorney.

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