The Role of Notaries After a Motor Vehicle Accident

If you were seriously injured in a bad motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s recklessness, seeking damages becomes a top priority once the immediate medical emergencies have been addressed. Depending on the severity of the injuries, the health consequences of a serious motor vehicle crash could last the rest of your life. Someone needs to be held responsible.

This is what auto liability insurance is for; most individuals can’t afford the damages pursued by a victim of a car accident, so their insurance provider is the one who takes on the financial responsibility. In return, the individual pays a monthly insurance premium. The only problem is that insurance companies are determined to pay out as little as possible.

Those who seek damages for injuries caused by someone else’s bad driving have no choice but to seek the services of a lawyer. They will want an attorney specializing in personal injury, and preferably one with experience in their specific kind of case; someone who is rear-ended while riding their Harley wants a motorcycle accident lawyer, not one specializing in probate law.

This is where the role of notaries comes into play. In order for a personal injury law firm to get the ball rolling on your car accident case, they need a number of important documents. The court will only accept these documents if they are properly notarized.

Most law firms have someone on staff who maintains a notary license. This enables them to quickly notarize documents forwarded to them and pass them onto the court. Others depend on third-party notary services and freelancers.

Failure to notarize documents used for personal injury claims prior to filing can cost you time. It can even cost you money. The entire case will need to be filed all over again. Depending on the jurisdiction, deadlines for filings could result in your case being thrown out on paperwork technicalities. All because one document wasn’t notarized.

The bottom line is that notaries are essential for the successful completion of a motor vehicle accident claim. This is especially important for individuals who choose to go their own way without the help of a lawyer. It will be their responsibility to ensure all forms and documents are signed, dated, and notarized.

Depending on the state you live in, the services of a licensed notary could just be a few clicks away. With the help of webcams and other digital technology, online services can remotely connect signers with notaries for on-demand notarization.

Given the fact you are seriously injured and likely no longer have a working vehicle, the legwork involved in getting documents together and properly notarized can be a bit daunting. It’s for this reason that the services of a personal injury lawyer specializing in traffic accidents are highly recommended. The same can be said for the services of an on-demand notary if they are available.