when do you seek an attorney for a car accident

If any of the following is true about an accident, you may want to speak with a lawyer:

• Your injuries required you to miss work.
• Someone was killed.
• You sustained major injuries or required medical treatment as a result of the crash.
• The injuries you sustained during the crash are expected to have a long-term impact on your quality of life.

When should you call a car accident lawyer?

You need to call a car accident lawyer as soon as you can and if the situation requires the intervention of such an attorney. Some car accidents are pretty straightforward; if the other driver is at fault for a clear accident (such as hitting your vehicle from behind), chances are the driver or their insurance won't contest this fact.

What should I look for when hiring a car accident lawyer?

When you talk to a lawyer about your car accident claim, not just any attorney will do. Ideally, you want someone experienced, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to. Here are the signs we recommend you look for, both when choosing who to call and at the consultation itself:

Will my insurance company provide a car accident attorney for me?

In this case, it is likely that your auto insurance company will provide a car accident attorney for you, but keep in mind that an insurance company’s lawyer works first in the best interest of the insurer and in your interests secondarily.

When should you sue after a car accident?

Suing after car accidents is more common for cases when drivers incur pain and suffering damages and high medical bills. You may also decide to open a wrongful death suit if anyone in your vehicle was killed in the crash. If any of the following is true about an accident, you may want to speak with a lawyer:

What are the rules for insurance?

If the following is true of an accident, it is unlikely that the insurance company will lowball you: 1 There was only property damage, and nobody was hurt or killed. 2 You suffered minor or no physical injuries. 3 The settlement you deserve is relatively small.

Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?

You are not legally obligated to hire a lawyer after a car accident. The only reason you need a lawyer after a car accident is if you are being sued or decide to sue the other driver.

How much money do you need to settle a lawsuit without counsel?

For example, if you're expecting a $100,000 settlement without the benefit of counsel, a lawyer would need to get you more than $150,000 to make it worth the bother. Believe it or not, most attorneys give honest opinions on whether or not it would be worth your while to hire an attorney or take any easy settlement.

What is the importance of signing off on an agreement?

It is important, however, to have a high level of confidence that something unexpected isn't going to happen. Once you sign off on an agreement, you'll likely never have the chance to seek more money ever again.

Is the police report accurate?

The paperwork does not look accurate ( police report, insurance communications) Details are complicated (technical, legal, medical) Insurance is not playing nice. You do, however, have to ask if paying an attorney to recovery $10,000 in damages is worth the bother if you end up handing over $5,000 to the law firm.

Do insurance companies do their jobs?

In a lot of instances, insurance companies do in fact do their jobs as expected. There are definitely situations where you'd want an attorney to be involved, but there are also times when obtaining counsel is simply overkill. Let's take a look at some of the cases where you may NOT need to hire an attorney after an accident.

Can you file a personal injury claim if you have no injuries?

Generally, if no people were hurt, or there was no damage ( no broken bones or potentially lingering injuries that cause you to miss more than a couple days of work), then it may not be worthwhile pursuing a personal injury claim. Just be careful making this judgment of “no injuries” yourself.

Do you have to have counsel in small claims court?

You're certainly entitled to have counsel present to protect your rights in small claims court . The law firm, however, is likely going to expect a fee for their services rather than working on contingency, since the expected recovery would be very small. It depends on the situation.