No matter how cautious and thoughtful a driver you may be, car accidents are an inevitable part of driving. Finding an attorney who is experienced with personal injury law and automobile accidents could protect you from expenses you shouldn’t be paying, or liability you shouldn’t incur.

1. Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident Require Experience and Investigation

If a car accident results in a serious injury either for you or your passenger, finding legal representation can ensure you’re compensated not just now, but in the future for ongoing expenses associated with your injuries. Certain traumatic injuries don’t manifest immediately and may have life-long implications, so that a quick insurance investigation and claim payment might finish before you even experience certain symptoms, excluding you from compensation for all of your injuries. Additionally, the time limits for filing a lawsuit in the state of Kentucky are especially brief. Hiring a lawyer early will help ensure that any legal claims you may possess are filed before the time runs out to make them.

2. Negotiations with Insurance Companies Can Be Difficult for the Inexperienced

While car accidents are a rare event for most individuals, insurance companies negotiate claims based on car accidents every day. They know exactly how to shape their arguments and will use their vast experience to intimidate the average claimant into accepting less compensation than that to which they’re entitled. However, having strong, experienced legal representation will keep you from getting bullied into accepting less than you need for your injuries and the damages to your vehicle.

3. Focus on Your Recovery and Leave the Fight to Your Lawyer

Investigating claims, gathering evidence, finding witnesses, composing a settlement demand, collecting incident and medical reports—these all require a great deal of work, especially when you don’t understand the system and are in the midst of recovering from a traumatic incident. Additionally, Kentucky’s comparative fault system makes the post-accident investigation especially important, since your own recovery will be reduced by the amount to which you were determined to be at fault for the accident. An attorney not only knows how to accomplish all these things in a short span of time, but also will do a more precise job of compiling evidence to ensure that your case is solid and successful in getting you the money you deserve.

4. No-Fault Laws Involve Showing You Meet Certain Requirements to Seek More Compensation

Kentucky is a no-fault state, which means that, even when it was your fault that the accident occurred, your own insurance company will compensate you for at least up to $10,000 of your own accident-related costs, depending on your policy. The no-fault rules only apply to personal injuries, and vehicle damage claims must be pursued against the other driver. However, if you have greater costs than your insurer will cover and you wish to file a claim for liability against the other driver, then you’ll need to opt out of the no-fault system by showing that you have at least $1,000 in medical expenses from the accident or any of the following: permanent disfigurement; fracture of a weight-bearing bone; a complex fracture of any bone; any permanent injury; or permanent loss of a bodily function. An attorney can help you manage seemingly simple negotiations with your insurance company, as well as handle a liability claim or lawsuit when you realize you’re going to need additional compensation to be made whole.

5. Should Settlement Negotiations Fail, Be Prepared to Go to Court

Going to court can be expensive and time-consuming, further delaying your recovery, and insurance companies will use these facts to their advantage in dissuading you from suing if you’re on your own without an attorney. Finding experienced representation means that you don’t have to be afraid of being bullied into abandoning your claim out of fear of the courtroom. Insurance carriers will also be less likely to think they can steamroll you, and will take settlement more seriously, knowing you have a knowledgeable and seasoned personal injury attorney backing you up.

If you’ve recently been in a car accident in the State of Kentucky, focus on healing and putting your life together after that traumatic event. Don’t go it alone—speak with the experienced attorneys at Todd Burris Law, who will handle the fight with the insurance company for you.