If you think that disclosing your prior accidents is not necessary for the present Injury claim, then you are making a mistake. The insurance company will use this as evidence against your claim. A Miami car accident attorney can help you in such cases in a better way. This blog will discuss, Impact of previous car accidents on an injury claim:
Disclosing Prior Accidents
It is of utmost importance to disclose every bit of information to your attorney. As per the Attorney-client privilege, an attorney is bound to keep most of your information to himself. If your claim is being negotiated, there is no need to disclose past accidents. The problem arises when you have to claim the compensation from your own insurance company as the company knows about your previous records. An Attorney will ensure the right legal route for you to claim the compensation in such cases.
Way of Disclosing Information
An attorney not only represents you in the court but also prepares you to present yourself in the court. An attorney knows the nook and corner of the legal rules and can limit the damages. An attorney also counters the unjust statements made by the insurance company.
Insurance company using Prior Accidents
Insurance companies may argue that the injuries caused are due to prior accidents and not due to recent ones. They may also use this information to prove that you are a negligent driver in the court of law.
Fault in Prior Accident
Even if you were not at fault in the previous accidents and proven to be a safe driver, still the insurance company will find ways to prove you guilty. They will argue that you want your claim that’s why you are playing with the system. If you were at fault in the prior accident, the insurance company will try to assign partial fault to you for the current crash.
Role of an Attorney
Insurance companies may find ways to deny your claim. An experienced attorney will collect evidence supporting your case and will try to recover most of your lost wages and medical bills through compensation.
Have you been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault? Did you have to spend a long time in hospital, recovering, or off sick from work because of it? If this story sounds familiar, then you need a good car accident lawyer who can take care of your case and bring you the best representation that you can find.
Before you rush out and find the first car accident lawyer you find, however, let’s talk about some of the questions you ought to be asking them, before you commit.
Attorney’s Case Management Style
After you have determined the law firm’s experience and qualifications, you should move on to how your case will be managed by the attorney. Different attorneys have different case management styles and you should choose an attorney whose style suits your demands and requirements. Some of the relevant questions you should ask about an attorney’s style are:
- How will the attorney communicate with me regarding the case and how often?
- Which decisions related to the case can I take and which decisions will the attorney take?
- How do you deal with the opposition? Is the attorney’s style cooperative or adversarial?
- Based on your style of managing the case, in how long can I expect the case to be solved?
- What is the attorney’s general philosophy when it comes to handling car accident cases?
What To Ask Your Car Accident Lawyer Before You Begin
So, what should you ask your new car accident lawyer before you agree to let them handle your case?
1 – How Many Cases Like Mine Have You Encountered?
If you didn’t already know this, there are about 100 car accidents involving a fatality every day in the USA. This means that finding a car accident lawyer when it happens to you, ought to be reasonably easy to do. Narrowing them down will be harder. This question lets you find out who does, and who doesn’t, have enough experience to get you the best deal.
2 – Will I have to Go To Court?
A lot of people let the fear of going to court to represent themselves scare them out of making a personal injury claim after a car accident. The truth is that if you or your property suffered damages at someone else’s hands then you are entitled to make a claim from them. Therefore, going to court shouldn’t scare you. Most people don’t want to go to court and a lawyer with experience knows this. A car accident lawyer fresh out of school will be more eager to go to court than you will.
3 – How Long Have You Practised Law For/What School Did You Go To?
You can also ask when they graduated. All of these variations have the same intention. You want to find out how many years’ experience they have at practicing in your field of law. You want them to measure their answer against the previous ones. If they say they have handled loads of cases like yours but have only been practicing for a year or two then you caught them in a lie.
4 – What Is Your Opinion on My Case Or My Options?
A good car accident lawyer will be able to rattle off an educated opinion on your case at the drop of a hat. They should already know the price range of your compensation claim and whether or not you will get the damages you are looking for. They won’t need to look anything up because they already know the answer.
5 – How Much Do I Have To Do?
As a client, you will want to know what your role is. Certain types of people like to be involved in their own case, others prefer to hand over all information and let the attorney get on with it. If you can establish this with your car accident attorney early on you will have smoother sailing throughout.
Conclusion
Sometimes even if the prior accident has nothing to do with the current crash, it can still be used against you. It is better to take advice from a professional than to handle the case on your own. Drive safely on the road and be cautious.