As an accident advisor, you can aid injured individuals in many ways, from assisting them with filing claims to helping them get compensation for their injuries. According to the CDC, the U.S. records around 38 million injury-related emergency room visits. Most of these are because of accidents, and the victims are often confused about the next steps. If you’re interested in this role, below is everything you need to know about various professional advisors who deal with accident cases.
Car Accident Lawyer
Car crashes are amongst the most common types of accidents. According to the CDC, over 2 million people are injured annually in vehicle-related crashes. Additionally, several thousand others are killed, leaving more victims behind. Therefore, if you’re looking to become an accident advisor, a car accident lawyer is one of the top professions you can consider.
Car accident attorneys deal with cases involving vehicle crashes, where they can assist the involved parties in many ways. In the case of the victims, they can assist them with getting compensation for injuries sustained, medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, vehicle damage, and more. Additionally, they help them file insurance claims, offer legal advice in insurance negotiations, and represent them in court cases or compensation settlements.
Apart from victims, an auto accident attorney can also offer their services to parties at fault during a vehicle crash. For example, they can offer them legal representation against personal injury claims or criminal charges from a car accident. They can also help them with related cases, such as driver’s license revocation and rejection of insurance claims.
So, what do you need to become a car accident lawyer? Of course, being a licensed attorney is the first and most important requirement. Therefore, you must attain a bachelor’s degree, attend law school, pass the bar exam, and receive the necessary license to practice in your area. Next, you must gain experience dealing with car accident cases to better represent your client’s interests.
Truck Accident Lawyer
According to the National Safety Council, there were 117,300 truck-related crashes in the U.S. in 2021. These accidents are technically considered car crashes. However, they are quite different in several ways, starting with the fact that most trucks are commercial vehicles that operate under federal and state commercial driving laws and regulations. In addition, trucks are usually owned by organizations, and crashes often result in severe injuries or damages.
Therefore, a truck accident lawyer is another top career you can consider if you want to become an accident advisor. In this capacity, you can represent the rights of truck accident victims, ensuring that they get fair compensation for injuries, vehicle damage, and other losses. You could also offer legal services and advice to the truck drivers involved in the crash or the companies that own the vehicle.
As for qualifications, you’ll first need to be a licensed lawyer. Next, you must have experience dealing with car crashes, especially ones involving trucks. Lastly, it helps to be familiar with personal injury laws in your jurisdiction and the rules and regulations governing commercial vehicles and drivers.
In addition, as a truck accident attorney, you should also be prepared to deal with insurance companies, especially when representing victims or a truck that was at fault. That’s because companies that own these trucks and the insurance companies that cover them will likely have more resources than private car owners. Therefore, filing personal injury claims against them can be an uphill task.
All-Terrain Vehicle Accident Lawyer
All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) accidents are another common type of car crash. According to HG.org, around 135,000 people are injured yearly in ATV-related crashes. Therefore, there’s a huge need for automobile accident lawyers to help victims of these crashes. An automobile accident lawyer specializes in these types of cases.
Unfortunately, ATV accidents are not usually handled by car accident lawyers. These vehicles are considered recreational in most jurisdictions, thus governed by different laws. On top of that, most ATV crashes will be off-road, and sometimes, the drivers involved are young people, often under the age of 16. Therefore, an ATV accident attorney is another career path you can consider if you want to become an accident lawyer.
As an ATV accident advisor, you can help victims of crashes get compensation from insurance companies to cover medical bills and vehicle damage. You can also help them file a personal injury claim against other parties, for example, a property owner whose negligence in maintaining their premises leads to a crash. Lastly, you can represent ATV accident victims in crashes involving other cars if the vehicle was being driven on a public road.
If you’re wondering about the qualifications of being an ATV crash attorney, the most important one is that you’re licensed to practice law. Then, you must have experience dealing with ATV crashes and a good understanding of recreational vehicle laws in your practice area. Lastly, it would help to be knowledgeable about other related areas of law, for example, personal injury, insurance, and property law.
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
According to the NHTSA, more than 60,000 pedestrians were injured across the U.S., with another 7,388 being killed. Unfortunately, unlike most other road accidents, pedestrians are more exposed and thus often suffer severe injuries. Therefore, offering them the necessary support is vital, which makes pedestrian accidents another area you can specialize in if you want to become an accident advisor.
As an accident injury attorney, you can offer various services to victims of pedestrian accidents. For example, you can assist them in gathering evidence to prove fault, thus supporting their compensation claims. Additionally, you can help them assess the extent of damages and even gather evidence (for example, medical reports) to support their compensation.
As a pedestrian accident attorney, you can be instrumental in ensuring that your client gets fully compensated. This can include negotiating a settlement with insurance companies or filing a personal injury claim. Lastly, pedestrian accidents can sometimes result in criminal prosecutions for the driver involved, so this is another area you could represent your client’s interest.
Of course, in terms of qualifications, you’ll need to be a licensed lawyer to become a pedestrian accident attorney. Experience in pedestrian accidents is also vital, as it will help instill confidence in potential clients. Lastly, you’ll need a good understanding of personal injury laws and a good investigator and negotiator.
Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer
Slips and falls are other accidents that can often result in severe injuries. And unfortunately, these accidents are widespread; according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 1.5 million older adults are injured annually in slip & fall accidents. Therefore, this is another top field you can work in as an accident advisor.
Slip & fall accidents often result in personal injury claims; thus, you’ll need to be a good personal injury lawyer to assist victims of accidents. However, unlike other accidents, claims in this field can be complex to navigate. For once, you’ll need to investigate the scene to determine the cause of the accident: wet floor, faulty stair steps, slipping over erroneous objects, etc.
On top of proving the cause of an accident, you also need to prove liability through deliberate actions or negligence. For example, you can prove that the property owner failed to maintain the premises to the required safety standard, thus leading to the accident. Or, you can argue that they knew about unsafe conditions and failed to rectify them.
As a slip & fall accident attorney, you’ll also assist your clients in filing personal injury claims. This will often include correcting necessary evidence to prove damages suffered, for example, medical reports, medical bills, witness statements, etc. In addition, claims will often involve negotiation with the at-fault party’s attorney, and sometimes, cases might even end up in civil court.
Worker’s Compensation Lawyer
The workplace is another sector with a huge demand for accident advisors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 2.6 million workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in the private sector alone in 2021. Therefore, as a worker’s compensation lawyer, you can be in a position to help many victims of workplace accidents.
Unlike other injuries, workplace accidents are covered by federal worker’s compensation laws which require all employers to provide compensation for occupational-related injuries. Unfortunately, these laws are not always clear-cut, as employees often have to prove that sustained injuries occurred at their place of work. On top of that, the process of filing a claim can be complex, often involving tight deadlines.
Therefore, as an experienced workers comp attorney, you can be a vital resource to any employee who has suffered an injury. You can assist your clients with the legal process of filing a claim and providing supporting evidence. In addition, you can help them calculate the extent of damages suffered, thus ensuring they receive fair compensation for their injuries.
Apart from filing claims, you can offer legal advice to your clients during negotiations with insurance companies. This might be especially necessary when an insurance adjuster offers a low offer or rejects a claim. Lastly, you can help your clients to file a civil suit against the employer or the insurance company if the worker’s compensation claim process is unsuccessful.
Construction Accident Lawyer
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction accidents accounted for around 20% of all workplace-related fatalities in 2021. In addition, the sector was responsible for 46.2% of all workplace deaths resulting from falls, slips, and trips. From these figures, it’s clear that the construction industry is very prone to accidents and thus needs good accident advisors.
Construction accidents should be handled under worker’s compensation laws since they occur at the workplace. However, this is not always the case; some unscrupulous employers might not have worker’s compensation insurance. In addition, other third parties might also be at fault for the accident, making it necessary to pursue other legal measures. These circumstances bring about the need for accident attorneys who deal specifically with construction accident cases.
As a construction accident attorney, one of the top ways you can aid your client is by filing a worker’s compensation claim against the employer’s insurance policy. You can also assist them in filing a personal injury claim against their bosses if they don’t have proper insurance or the cover is inadequate. After all, the employer is responsible for keeping the construction site safe.
Lastly, as a construction accident lawyer, you can assist your client in filing a personal injury claim against other at-fault third parties. This can include negligent supervisors, safety managers, contractors, and sub-contractors. You could also help your client to sue the construction site owner or even the manufacturer of the equipment or machine involved in the accident.
Intentional Injury Lawyer
Not all accidents and injuries are unintentional. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in 2020, the U.S. recorded about 146.6 emergency room visits for every 100,000 persons due to intentional injuries. Some of these intentional injuries include physical assaults, gun violence, sexual assaults, domestic violence, rape, and more. Therefore, this is another area to consider if you want to become an accident advisor.
As an attorney, you can assist victims of intentional injuries in several ways. For example, you can help them file a personal injury claim against the perpetrators. You can also help them file claims against other third parties, for example, persons who helped the perpetrator injure them or were negligent in stopping the attack.
Intentional injuries often result in court cases, be they civil, criminal, or both. Therefore, you can also help your victims by protecting their interests during these processes, thus ensuring they get the justice and compensation they deserve. Additionally, you can assist them in seeking additional protection, for example, through restraining orders and injections.
So, what qualifications do you need to become an accident advisor on intentional injury cases? First, a law license will be necessary for protecting your client’s best interests. Also, it helps to be experienced in various legal doctrines, including tort and personal injury law. Other laws might also come into play depending on the specific circumstances, for example, sexual assault laws for rapes and domestic violence laws for domestic abuse.
Accidents are common and can affect an individual at any point. As an accident advisor, you can offer the affected persons the necessary support to deal with the aftermath, especially regarding compensation for injuries. The above are some of the top professionals who offer accident advice, the nature of their work, and some tips on becoming one.