Value of Hiring a Montgomery County Car Accident Lawyer

The first thing to do in the event of a car accident in Montgomery County is to realize that the at-fault party has their insurance company and their lawyers representing their interests. When a person is involved in a car accident, they should contact a car accident lawyer in Montgomery County so that their rights are protected and they won’t be taken advantage of by the at-fault party. By retaining a lawyer, the person can be advised about their rights, what they should or shouldn’t do, what they are obligated to do, and what they are not obligated to do.

Nuances in Dealing with Montgomery County Car Accidents

It’s important that a car accident claim is handled by a Montgomery County car accident attorney who knows the system, has experience with representing people in car accident claims, and can maximize the recovery to which the person that’s been involved in an accident is entitled. It’s important that an investigation takes place as soon as possible. That investigation should be an independent investigation done by the attorney and his or her investigators. Witnesses can be interviewed and their position can be documented in a statement in and near the time of the accident. Their statements can be recorded so that, as the claim proceeds and there is a question of liability, the witnesses’ memories have been written down. An attorney can represent the injured party’s interests against the insurance company based upon their experience of dealing with them. An attorney can file a claim and proceed to court and litigate the case if necessary.

Contributory Negligence

The doctrine of contributory negligence is alive and well in Montgomery County. That doctrine stands for the proposition that even if the at fault party is 99 percent at-fault, if the victim is even as little as one percent at fault, the victim is not entitled to a recovery in the case. When an accident occurs and the insurance company for the other party wants a statement from the injured party, there is no obligation to give a statement. The insurance company is interested in establishing facts that may be hurtful to the victim and helpful to the at-fault party. They want to establish any degree of fault on the victim’s part, so he or she is not entitled to a recovery. One must be cognizant of the fact that the conduct of the victim is examined and the reasonableness of that conduct in relation to the at-fault party’s conduct. If it can be established that the victim was even minimally at fault, it can affect the recovery.

Things to Know About Montgomery County Car Accidents

A person injured in an automobile accident should not take for granted that the insurance company is going to do the right thing. Also, one should consider getting a car accident attorney in Montgomery County and medical attention very soon after the accident. The at-fault party has the insurance company and its lawyers representing them. It’s important for the victim to have someone representing their interests to be on an even playing field.

Document Evidence at the Scene

It’s also important to document any medical symptoms of any potential injuries as early as possible so that causation can be established that the injuries are related to the accident. There should not be any gap between the accident and receiving medical care for the injuries. Individuals who do not have experience with an insurance claim for an accident tend to minimize the need for representation. As a result, they are taken advantage of by the insurance companies and their lawyers by unwittingly thinking that the insurance companies are going to do the right thing. It’s important that someone doesn’t assume they don’t need representation because the insurance company will have their best interest at heart. In reality, the insurance company only cares about their insured party and their shareholders and not the victim.

Why to Contact an Attorney Quickly

For purposes of investigation as to who is at fault, it’s extremely important to contact an attorney so that an investigation can be done independent of any other investigation. In car accidents, if no one asks for or accepts medical care on the scene by EMTs and are taken to the hospital, police officers in Montgomery County are not bound to do a full investigation and write a report. They tell the parties to exchange information, so there will not be any further investigation by the police officer about the circumstances of the accident. It’s important for the person involved in an accident to get any witness information and exchange information with the at-fault party. They should make sure that a full investigation is undertaken to establish the facts of the accident as seen by other witnesses.

It’s also important for a person involved in an auto accident to contact a Montgomery County car accident attorney to be properly advised as to their rights, privileges, and responsibilities; and what they should and shouldn’t do to protect their interest. The person involved in an automobile accident should contact an attorney for purposes of initiating the claim, and dealing with the insurance company so that the claim can be pursued properly.