There are several reasons to hire an attorney to help you with your car accident claim. If you’re in an accident and are unable to work, you may be facing medical expenses, including those for future medical treatment. It is also important to consider the emotional toll the accident may have had on you. An attorney will be able to help you sort through this process and maximize your settlement. Here are some of the things you need to do while reaching out to a car accident lawyer in Guelph.
Getting a police report
You may wonder if getting a police report as part of your car accident claim is necessary. It is a fairly simple process but can be frustrating if you are unsure of what to do. To make sure you get a copy of your accident report, you need to know where the police department’s records are kept. First, you will need the police department’s non-emergency number, as well as the date, time, and location of the accident. You will also need to be able to identify the officer who responded to the scene, as well as their name and badge number.
Not every police report will contain useful information, however. Oftentimes, these police reports are bare bones. If there is an error, you can ask the officer to amend the report or supplement it with other documents to support your claim. You can also ask your lawyer to handle this request for you, but it’s important to remember that it is ultimately up to the officer to decide whether or not to amend the report.
Gathering information from other motorists
Getting the name and contact information of other motorists involved in the collision is very important when filing a car accident claim. Eyewitnesses to the crash can provide objective descriptions of what happened. Gather this information immediately after the accident. You can also get this information from a security camera or traffic camera operator. The time you have to preserve this video footage will affect your claim. So gather as much information as you can from the other motorists involved in the accident.
In most cases, the other driver will not contact you, so get their insurance policy number and contact information from them. Even if they refuse to help, get their contact information so that you can inform your insurance company. Sometimes, the other driver is uninsured or underinsured. In this case, the insurance company of the at-fault driver will deny liability and may attempt to recover payment from you.
Benefits of hiring an attorney
Car accidents can range from minor fender benders to catastrophic collisions involving multiple vehicles. Whether you suffer a broken bone, neck injury, or head trauma, an attorney can fight for compensation. A skilled disability lawyer Toronto can help you collect the necessary evidence to prove that you were at fault for the accident. Additionally, your attorney can help you pursue a lawsuit if necessary. As a result, hiring an attorney can make your recovery process a whole lot easier.
Your attorney will discuss your case with the other driver’s insurance company on your behalf. Insurance companies are notorious for trying to reduce payouts to accident victims, and they will do whatever they can to deny your claim. Attorneys have great relationships with many insurance companies, so they will know how to respond to unfair attempts to reduce settlement offers. They will also know which insurance providers to approach when your claim is denied.
