If you have recently been in a car accident and are trying to decide if you should hire a lawyer, there are several issues you need to consider. Whether the accident was your fault or someone else’s, almost everyone would benefit from discussing the specifics of their case with a car accident lawyer.
- You were injured. This is probably the most common reason people hire a car accident attorney. If you are injured in an accident, you need an attorney to help you get all the compensation you may be entitled to receive. Often victims injured in an accident are eligible to get their current and future medical costs covered including, but not limited to prescription drugs, emergency care, and physical therapy. Often victims underestimate how much medical care will cost, so an attorney can assist you in a more accurate estimate.
- You have damages. Your car may be totaled or maybe you need parts or paint replaced. No matter what the issues, if you were not at fault, you deserve to be reimbursed for these expenses, however, you will likely be dealing with an insurance company who has a team of lawyers on their side. Therefore it is crucial that you have a legal consultant on your team as well.
- You have other expenses related to the accident. Perhaps you had to miss work due to the car accident, whether because of injuries ascertained or because you no longer had transportation. Or maybe you just had to take time off of work to deal with the logistics of the accident. No matter the reason, a lawyer can help you determine which expenses you could be reimbursed for and the best way to go about receiving that reimbursement.
- You want maximum compensation. If you are a victim of a car accident, you may be entitled to some compensation, even if it is not a serious incident. People with legal representation get significantly higher compensation. Insurance companies expect people without serious accidents not to have a lawyer and often use tactics to get the victim to agree to a lower settlement than they deserve.
- You were at fault or it is unclear whose fault the accident was. In most cases, if you were at fault, you could benefit from a lawyer. Especially if someone was injured (a pedestrian, another driver, a cyclist) or if the accident happened in a school zone or construction zone. Penalties for these accidents are severe and therefore need to be handled extremely carefully. By hiring an attorney, you are protecting yourself from possibly having to pay a steeper penalty than you deserve.
These are just a few of the signs that you need an attorney, but there are many others. After a brief consultation, car accident attorneys can advise you on the best next step for your situation.