What Kind of Lawyer Handles Car Accidents in San Jose?

Some folks who get into a car accident may feel the issue is not big enough to go through the trouble of hiring an attorney for representation. However, then they find out after the fact that the damage is worse than they thought or they have an injury and medical costs that weren't expected at the time. By this time, it can be much more difficult to make an argument for recovery. Instead, one should be thinking about good representation right from the start. But how to begin?

A car accident brings shock, injury, frustration and questions. The first issue is determining how bad the accident damage may be, as well as personal injuries. Then comes the question of who's at fault. Unfortunately, the fault answer won't often be apparent because what seems clear can be clouded by traffic laws, differing stories from witnesses, and different perceptions of the same accident. Instead of trying to solve the issue right at the accident site and moment, folks are often then flooded with other questions. These include how do I get my car working again, where do I get medical care, how bad are my injuries, how will get to work, will I have a car while my car is being repaired, who is going to pay for my medical costs and support in the meantime, and who do I call for recovery? All of these questions together can seem quite bewildering, which is why a good car accident attorney is needed right away.

A car accident lawyer can immediately begin to straighten out the details of what has happened with an objective insight. First off, the attorney is not involved in the event, so he or she can quickly see issues that a client may miss out of emotion or personal memory perspective. Second, a car accident attorney can quickly categorize and apply the relevant law so that the event is interpreted in terms of how the court would rule out responsibilities and coverage. This is critical because when insurance companies get involved, they often try to put out low settlements quickly to keep the cost of accident coverage down. If an injured or damaged party accepts the settlement early, they have then waived all recovery rights for any further payment after the fact. This often works to the insurance company's benefit and not the party who is injured or damaged. Instead, with an attorney looking at the matter from the start, any offers made can be evaluated professionally and identified as unacceptable quickly.

Attorneys are also well aware of time limits or statutory deadlines that may apply to claims. These rules are often buried in technical legal regulations and laws, not the sort of thing the average person will be aware of or know where to find easily. However, good counsel will map out relevant deadlines in detail, finding each and every instance of when a filing needs to be made to protect one's rights. When a lawsuit does need to be filed for recovery in a car accident, an experienced car accident lawyer knows how to prepare such filings in the local court system. These rules can quickly sabotage a case if not filed correctly, and different local courts have different local rules, so it is important to prepare the paperwork right from the start to avoid the case being thrown out on a technicality.

Good representation helps protects one's rights in both overt and subtle ways in car accidents. Recovery is often a matter of negotiation on how to settle a responsibility and claim, so having a good negotiator in an accident attorney makes a big difference for both personal injuries and property.