If you are hurt in a car accident, you will likely need an attorney to help with the settlement of your case. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is beneficial because these professionals know how to negotiate with the other party and with insurers, but there are fees to consider. The costs of an auto accident case should be balanced with the fact that a lawyer can usually get you a bigger settlement than you would be able to achieve on your own. In this article, we will discuss hiring car accident attorneys in Middlebury, VT to help you with your accident case.
The Fees
When you are considering hiring a personal injury lawyer, your first question is likely to be “What will it cost?” Most injury attorneys work on contingency, which means that if you get a settlement, the lawyer gets a percentage. Usually the lawyer gets 25-40%, depending on the date of the case’s resolution. Every state has a bar association that places limits on the fees a lawyer can charge.
Valuing Your Claim
To settle your accident case, your lawyer must help you determine its value. This is done by calculating damages, both general and special. General damages are those for which money is a poor substitute, such as pain and suffering, embarrassment, loss of companionship and reputation damage. Special damages cover out of pocket losses from medical bills, lost wages and damage to your vehicle. It can be hard to calculate damages, especially if they are general in nature.
Paying Expenses
One of the biggest benefits to hiring car accident attorneys in Middlebury, VT is that most will advance litigation costs. A personal injury case is typically expensive because it is driven by facts, and the construction of such a case takes substantial amounts of time and money. Attorneys usually work with experts and physicians, who take a percentage of your settlement in exchange for their assistance.
Taking the Case to Trial
Most car accident cases are settled before making it to court, through negotiations between you, your lawyer and the insurance company. Insurers want to settle out of court to avoid the large awards typically handed down during jury trials; if there’s no threat of such a trial, the insurer may delay your settlement or offer a lowball figure. The Law Office of Schneider & Palcsik, Injury Lawyers can convince insurers to settle your case long before trial.
