When you have been in an accident, you have enough on your plate as medical bills pile up, you deal with insurance companies, and you embark down the long and difficult road to recovery. Restoring your normal life is possible, but navigating the complicated claims process and legal system while you recover is a burden you shouldn’t have to bear. When you work with a personal injury attorney in Orange County, however, you can stay focused on recovery while your attorney focuses on compensation and accountability for your suffering.
Experienced personal injury lawyers like the Cohn & Swartzon team understand the complexities of the law and can guide you through each step of the process while providing the emotional support you need and deserve.
What Does a Personal Injury Attorney in Orange County Do?
A personal injury lawyer plays an invaluable role in your case. From the initial consultation to the possibility of litigation, learn what a personal injury attorney will do for you to enable you to recover physically, emotionally, and mentally from your accident.
They Learn About You and Your Case
The first step in working with a personal injury attorney in Orange County is sitting down and talking with them. These conversations will be your lawyer’s roadmap as they create a road map to your recovery .
During your initial consultation, a personal injury lawyer will:
- Analyze your case to determine fault
- Review and explain the complicated claims process
- Explain how compensation works
- Lay the foundation for the strategy to get you back to pre-injury health and maximize recovery for your damages.
Beyond the facts of your case, however, your attorney should take the time to understand how this accident has impacted your life, and provide a support that you can rely on throughout the process.
They Navigate the Complex Claims Process
The claims process is notoriously complicated. Along the way, there may be multiple parties attempting to deny you the compensation you deserve. Your lawyer will understand what evidence you need to prove that the other party is at fault and hold them accountable.
Every case has unique facts, and your personal injury attorney in Orange County will assess the facts of your case and collect evidence, which can be a time and labor-intensive process in and of itself. For example, your lawyer might:
- Hire private investigators
- Collect police and other reports and statements
- Gather scene photos, videos, and diagrams
- Interview witnesses
- Identify expert witnesses
Once the evidence is gathered, your attorney will handle the personal injury claims process. This support is invaluable because insurance companies will often try to cut or deny the compensation you are entitled to, and in the process, make it as complex as possible.
An attorney has experience handling insurers and knowledge of their practices, so they can stay a step ahead. Attempting to negotiate alone often compounds the stress and frustration you are already feeling, and worse yet, jeopardizes your settlement.
Attempting to learn the ropes and handle this yourself will distract you from what matters most: healing and reaching a place of closure.
They Negotiate on Your Behalf
Negotiation is a fine art, and a personal injury attorney in Orange County will be adept at this practice. Usually, insurers will offer initial settlement offers that won’t cover your losses or the damage you endured, or even the full amount of your medical bills!.
As a victim, it’s normal to feel frustrated and stressed by the time it takes to conclude your claim. And in this headspace, it can be easy to accept the first offer you receive, cut your losses, and assume that something is better than nothing.
On the other hand, a seasoned lawyer will have evidence and a strategy to present the facts of your claim and use the law on your behalf so that the insurance companies will give you the settlement you deserve.
“A common strategy that insurance companies will use is trying to reduce your claim on the basis that the injury you had was preexisting. An attorney will not only understand this but stay several steps ahead and have copies of your medical records and an expert opinion letter from your doctor, for example, to prove that the accident injured your back.”
– Saar Swartzon, Founder and Partner, Cohn & Swartzon
They Represent You in Court
Not all personal injury cases go to court. In fact, the vast majority are settled before filing a personal injury lawsuit. Still, litigation may be inevitable.
A personal injury attorney in Orange County will have the wherewithal to assess your situation and determine if litigation is necessary for you to get the settlement you deserve. For example, maybe your attorney realizes:
- A lawsuit will give you leverage in settlement discussions
- Litigation prevents the statute of limitations from running out
- The discovery process is the only way to get evidence from the responsible party
Your lawyer will handle the pre-filing investigation, prepare pleadings to initiate the lawsuit, and outline the basis of the claim and compensation you are seeking by detailing what happened in the accident, what injuries resulted from it, and the damages you suffered.
When the stakes are raised, you need a strategic approach and the sympathetic ear of a premier personal injury lawyer for the best possible outcome.
How a Personal Injury Attorney in Orange County Can Help
Filing a claim and pursuing the negligent parties through negotiation, arbitration, and litigation is almost impossible without the assistance and guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney in Orange County.
Attempting to handle this alone compromises your recovery and the compensation you deserve. The attorneys at Cohn & Swartzon will relentlessly pursue justice and hold the negligent parties accountable so you can return to your normal life, or get as close to pre-accident normalcy as possible.
Contact the Cohn & Swartzon team now to schedule a free consultation and discuss your car accident case.
