Why Hire an Attorney After a Merrillville Accident
Filing a claim after a motor vehicle collision should be easy. All you have to do is report the accident to the at-fault driver’s insurance and they will pay for your medical bills, damaged vehicle, and pain and suffering.
But insurance companies want to avoid paying money at any cost. They may deny your claim or use your medical history to justify a lower settlement offer.
Handling a Merrillville car accident on your own can quickly become a headache. If you’ve been injured in a Merrillville car accident, you should be focused on your health. That means, as much as possible, recovering physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is where a Merrillville personal injury attorney can help. They know how to deal with stubborn insurance companies and will fight for a fair settlement on your behalf so you can avoid stress and focus on healing.
Here’s how a Merrillville personal injury attorney can help you:
Calculate what your claim is worth
If you ask a Merrillville car accident attorney how much your case is worth, you won’t get a straight answer — and for good reason. No one can know what your case is worth until you stop receiving medical treatment for your injuries. Only as your recovery comes to a close can you know just how much your damages cost you. Every car accident settlement should at the very least cover your medical bills, including physical therapy. It should also include compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages. An Indiana car accident attorney will let you know what you can expect from your settlement.
Determine liability
Your car accident attorney will immediately begin gathering evidence and investigating the scene of your accident. Their investigations can protect you from counterclaims from other drivers who would benefit from you having more fault. Your attorney will track down the insurance information of the at-fault driver and all liable parties that played a role in your accident.
Negotiate with insurance
The first offer you get from the insurance company will be the bare minimum based on whatever medical bills and appraisals they can find. But that offer won’t account for continuing medical treatment, counseling, or pain and suffering. Our Merrillville car accident lawyers have two decades of experience negotiating with greedy insurance companies and know which tactics will get you the settlement you deserve.
Taking your case to court
Sometimes just the threat of a lawsuit is enough to make the insurance company cough up settlement money. But if you end up going to court, you want an experienced trial attorney on your side. At Hensley Legal Group, our injury attorneys don’t shy away from going to court if that’s what it takes to get you full and fair compensation.
What Can I Recover from a Merrillville Car Accident?
Most people find that it’s too overwhelming to deal with the insurance company while trying to recover their health and happiness. That’s why a Merrillville car accident lawyer focuses on your financial recovery while you focus on what’s really important: getting back on your feet.
In the legal world, your losses in a Merrillville car accident are known as damages. There are two different types of damages: economic and noneconomic. Economic damages are easily calculable losses, such as medical bills or lost wages. Noneconomic damages, on the other hand, are much more difficult to quantify, but no less real and no less damaging: things like pain and suffering or loss of one’s chosen career path.
Legally, you have a right in Indiana to recover both economic and noneconomic damages after a Merrillville car accident. But if you speak alone with your insurance adjuster, you’re likely to hear a different story. Many injured victims are tempted to accept settlement offers from the insurance company that only promise to cover their medical bills. But it’s important to know that the insurance company may be responsible for other damages as well.
If you’re worried the insurance company isn’t offering you a reasonable settlement, call our Merrillville office or contact us online for a free case review. While we cannot say definitively what your case is worth, our Merrillville car accident attorneys can help you examine all of your options for recovery.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you shouldn’t have to fight for compensation alone. Our Merrillville car accident attorneys can help. Call us today or contact us online for a free case review.
In the meantime, feel free to browse our blog for posts all about car accidents. Be sure to download our free ebooks, Consumer’s Guide for Injured Victims and A Quick Guide to Property Damage.
When you’re ready, give us a call, send us a text, fill out a form, or start an online chat. We’re available 24/7.