How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Dothan?
After a car accident, most people are dealing with piles of medical bills, missed work and pay, and quickly draining savings.
No one should have to settle their injury claim for a lowball offer just because they are broke and desperate. And no one should be forced to represent themselves just because they can’t afford to fight the major insurance companies who have endless resources.
We don’t want money to be an issue when it comes to seeking the compensation you deserve. If you need a car accident attorney in Dothan, you can count on Gartlan Injury Law to handle your case on a completely contingent basis.
What our car accident lawyers will do for you:
- Free Consultations. We do not charge a fee to meet with an attorney. Until we’ve spoken with a person, we don’t even know if there is a case. Therefore, we don’t feel it would be right to start charging a person just to review the facts.
- Free If You Don’t Recover Compensation. If we fail to obtain compensation on your behalf, you owe us nothing for our work. That’s what a contingent fee is all about. It means having no risk. Our office takes all the risk by advancing the costs of litigation and only recovering money if we succeed.
- Our Goals Are the Same as Yours. The more we can recover for you, the more we are paid as a fee. This makes sense because it guarantees that you and your lawyer will always have the same goal – maximizing your compensation. Therefore, your interests are always aligned and you can rest assured that your lawyer has your best interests at heart.
- You Never Pay Legal Fees Out of Pocket. If we are successful at recovering compensation for you, our fee with be deducted from the settlement or award. That means you never have to write us a check for our services.
What Common Types of Damages are Available In Accident Claims?
There are several damages a person can suffer in a car accident claim. These will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each situation, but in general, they include:
- Adaptive devices (typically in cases involving amputations or permanent disabilities)
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damages
Specific damages
will vary from case to case, but most people find that when negotiating with an insurance company, it all comes down to the severity of injuries and the strength of the medical evidence that supports the injuries.
Auto accident lawyers must often work to not only maximize your financial recovery but also to minimize the effect of medical debts and liens that could otherwise rob you of much of your settlement funds.
Therefore, it’s important to understand that your damages may often not be clearly outlined in a settlement offer.
In many cases, the insurance company is going to make a lump-sum offer. In turn, you and your attorney will have to review the potential expenses, lost income, and other damages to carefully determine whether it is a fair offer. What if I am at fault?
How Will My Bills Get Paid After a Wreck?
Some physicians will treat patients on a lien. This means the doctor agrees to undertake medical treatment based on your attorney’s promise to pay the bill from the proceeds of the case. This may not always be a good idea, and each case is unique.
However, in the vast majority of situations, this is far better than just going without care. Our car accident attorneys in Dothan have years of experience working with local physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, and other providers, and they know our attorney’s reputation for success.
Ultimately, even if you have unpaid debts and collections from your medical treatment, these bills usually get paid out of the proceeds of a settlement. Therefore, your car accident attorneys will be looking at the total amount of your medical expenses when evaluating the value of a potential settlement offer.
Ultimately, if you have questions about whether your medical bills will get paid, you should talk to your Dothan car accident attorney.
Tips for Dealing with the Insurance Company After a Crash
There are plenty of ways you can go wrong when dealing with an insurance company after a car crash.
If you already have an attorney, the answer is simple:
- Answer the phone politely.
- Do your best to be courteous and professional.
- Respectfully ask the insurance adjuster for a name, phone number, and company.
- Ask for the claim number.
- Explain that you have an attorney and provide the adjuster with your attorney’s name and phone number.
- Decline to answer any questions until you’ve spoken to the attorney.
- Respectfully say goodbye.
If you do not have a car wreck lawyer yet, you can do the same thing with just a couple of minor modifications.
- Answer the phone politely.
- Do your best to be courteous and professional.
- Respectfully ask the insurance adjuster for a name, phone number, and company.
- Ask for the claim number.
- Explain that you are not comfortable discussing the matter at the moment. Ask for a good callback number and the best time to reach them.
- Hang up and call a vehicle accident attorney right away.
If an insurance adjuster becomes hostile, aggressive, or begins to belittle you, simply say goodbye and hang up.
Do not engage in an argument, do not mention anything about your injuries, any photos or information you have, and do not consent to be recorded.
Have you been involved in an Uber or Lyft accident?
Thousands of people are seriously hurt each year in Alabama car crashes, including many here in the Dothan, AL area. Some victims die because of injuries suffered in a wreck.
