When you hire an attorney for a car accident for the first time, it can be confusing. Modern law television shows paint a picture of a fast-moving process where the lawyer works only on one case. But that is seldom how the legal process really works. The reality is that the legal process can take months to years before the typical car accident claim is resolved. The injured party is often undergoing medical care and the attorney does not want to send a demand too early or there might be some new bill that changes the value of the claim. It takes time to get the records and bills in once they are complete and you want to order them all at once to hold down the costs to the client that come out of any settlement. A demand has to be prepared, then negotiations and even once a settlement is reached, your attorney will likely try to negotiate medical liens and discounts on outstanding bills in order to put more money in your pocket. The wait can seem really long, especially because the client often does not play an active roll in the records-gathering and evidence-gathering parts of the process.
Because the process can be confusing, Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. has created the Typical Life of a Car Accident Claim Infographic which is available use for those seeking an understanding of the auto accident claims process.
(Click on the image for full view)
