An auto accident can long term effects on a person’s physical and financial health. The actions of one careless or reckless driver are enough to put someone out of work or to prevent them from enjoying every day activities.
Auto accident injuries typically include broken arms or legs or back or neck pain. The cost of emergency transport to a hospital and the long term treatment of these injuries are high. Additionally, there is often a long recovery time in which the person is unable to leave the hospital or their home. An Auto Accident Attorney Sacramento will seek to win compensation for these injuries.
Even if insurance is involved, it is often not a good idea to let the insurance companies handle it without consulting an Auto Accident Lawyer Sacramento. Each insurance company has one goal in mind – to maximize its profits. Even if an insurance company claims to be helping its own customer, for example by paying out on an uninsured motorist policy, in the long run the customer will lose in the form of higher insurance premiums or the inability to renew their policy. If the at fault driver was insured, the insurance company may still choose not to pursue the other insurance company for payment because of the high costs involved, especially if the fault for the accident is disputed.
An Auto Accident attorney Sacramento does seek to serve only their client. Based on the initial consultation, they will discuss with the client the likelihood of recovering damages following the accident and the potential award. They will also discuss with the possibility of settlement, insurance payoffs, and the client’s risk tolerance. Based on these discussions with the client, the lawyer will form and execute a plan of action. This could involve suing the driver directly, suing their insurance company, or both. If necessary, they could also take action against the customer’s own insurance company if they refuse to honor the policy.
Luckily, there is often no up front cost for the client. Instead, these cases are usually handled on a contingency fee basis. This means that the lawyer is only paid if the client recovers damages, in which case they usually take one third of the award.