Did you know that over 3,000 people are killed every year as a result of distracted driving? If you?re involved with an auto accident case, you?ve likely witnessed some very sad facts about how people value life. Despite public awareness of risks, many thousands of people continue to drive while drunk, while texting, or while otherwise distracted.

If you?re dealing with auto accident claims this year, there?s a few things you should be keeping in mind. Let?s review.

The Statistics are Dire

About 32% of car crash fatalities are from drunk driving, and 31% are from speeding. Overall, drunk driving is estimated to cost the U.S. nearly $200 billion every year. So why do people keep doing it? If you?re up against someone who was legally in the wrong, you?re going to want an attorney on your side. They can help present statistics, facts, and research on why the individual is at fault — and why you deserve compensation from the insurance companies.

An Auto Accident Attorney is a Must Have

Did you know that these auto accident claims often take years to settle? If you don?t necessarily want to spend all your free time reading up on the way the legal court system works, you?re going to want to hire an attorney. Realistically, what for you is a one time experience, for them is an average day at work. This means that an auto accident lawyer is going to know the ins and outs of your court experience and isn?t going to be thrown off by any legal curveballs that the defense team might throw at you.

Insurance Companies Have Their Own Interest in Mind

Some insurance companies are better than others about responding to your claim, but overall, they have their best interest at heart, and it?s in their best interest to give you as little money as possible regardless of what you should really receive. Lawyers can be a great help in auto accident claims because they can do the in depth research to explain exactly why you?re requesting the amount of money you say you need.

If You?re on the Other End of Things?

Thousands of people drive drunk every year, and realistically speaking, you might be one of them. If this is the case, then hiring an attorney is absolutely essential. Otherwise you could be facing additional years of jail time and more severe punishments (it could be the difference, for example, between having a license you can only use to get to work, and having your license taken away completely).