When you’ve been in a car accident, your first thought should be about safety. Your next thought should be about hiring a car accident attorney.
Not every car accident requires legal assistance, but when there are injuries or fatalities involved, significant damage, or there’s room for dispute over liability, there are many benefits to hiring an attorney. They’ll help you understand various laws, investigate negligence on the other driver’s behalf, represent you in court, and negotiate settlements.
So, how do you really know when it’s time to hire one?
In this post, we’re going to tell you 7 of the biggest signs that you need to hire a car accident attorney. Read on and you’ll be able to confidently navigate this difficult situation with a dedicated legal professional by your side.
1. Serious or Permanent Car Accident Injury
Anytime there’s a serious injury involved in a car accident, legal action will be part of the fallout. Whether you or the other driver are the one that’s been seriously or permanently injured, a car accident lawyer will help you navigate this complicated process.
Once the severity of the injuries have been determined and all medical care has been taken, the insurance companies will start to get involved. They’ll base your compensation on how severe the injuries are, so they may attempt to downplay them in order to avoid a hefty payout.
Not all injuries make themselves immediately apparent, either. Whether they present themselves right away or not, you may sustain permanent injuries that prevent you from working and making future wages, not to mention the healthcare costs. You need to get properly compensated, so having an attorney on your side is a must.
2. Representation In Court
What makes car accident attorneys so valuable is their knowledge and experience in these situations. With years of training and time representing various clients in similar situations, a really good local car accident attorney is going to be able to fight tooth and nail for you, which is especially important when the case goes to court.
When a case is more complicated than a simple settlement with insurance companies, whether they involve injury, negligence, or some other extenuating circumstance, you’ll need to sway a judge and jury to side with you. A car accident lawyer will gather evidence and perform research to ensure that all of the most crucial information is presented in court. Proving liability on your own is harder than you may think.
3. Insurance Problems
In some cases, insurance companies will refuse to pay claims. They’re always trying to protect their bottom line, so if they can find a way to dispute your need for compensation, they will. If your best interest doesn’t help them make money, then they aren’t looking out for it.
They may claim that your injuries were previously sustained, have you sign a waiver to quickly settle, or deny the claim outright. Without an attorney, it’s easy to be intimidated by insurers and accept an unfair settlement. A car accident lawyer will help you understand your rights and fight these multi-million dollar companies on your behalf.
4. Who’s Fault Is It?
Determining fault in a bad car accident isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Sure, there are some scenarios where one driver does something egregious, making it very clear who was at fault; but many accidents happen fast and with numerous cars involved, so things will take time to clear up.
You never want to be the party that doesn’t come to the table with a lawyer, especially if you might share some of the blame for the accident. Depending on where you live, your claim could be greatly reduced or denied if you’re found to be even 1% at fault.
Once again, this is the work of the insurance companies, who stand to lose when the victim makes money. These companies have teams of lawyers and you should assume that the other driver will have an attorney, so you need one if you’re going to fight for what’s yours.
5. A Commercial Truck Involved
When a commercial vehicle is involved in an accident, the process takes a bit of a different shape. There are thousands of deaths and injuries resulting from accidents involving commercial trucks every single year.
You’ll be dealing with a an insurance company and legal team that are fighting for the interests of an entire company, which can be daunting. If their driver is at fault, then they know that you could seek a huge amount of compensation, so they’ll do what they can to mitigate their losses.
You can’t face an entire company on your own. They’ll undoubtedly offer you a settlement that works for them, but even if it’s a considerable amount, you need to have a lawyer representing you to get the correct amount. Car accident lawyers have special knowledge of federal trucking regulations that affect a claim like this, so they’re equipped to take on bigger companies.
6. Driving Under the Influence
If the other driver in the accident may have been under the influence, then you need an attorney to ensure that justice is served. A DUI is a serious offense in every single state, which can result in imprisonment for serious cases. If you sustained injuries during an accident with a driver who was under the influence, then they should be considered at fault 100% of the time.
Sadly, many drunk drivers escape with a slap on the wrist and the victim is left footing the bill. If you want to make sure that this doesnt’ happen to you, then hire a car accident attorney that has special experience dealing with these types of cases.
Get the Best Car Accident Attorney
Now that you know when it’s time to get a car accident attorney on your side, you’ll be better prepared should you ever get in a serious accident. There’s so much you have to think about during the fallout from an accident; it can be easy to overlook the legal matters that will ensue. Hire a good lawyer and this difficult process will be made slightly easier.
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Ronald is a business editor who writes about various topics such as technology, health and finance. He works along with the colourful folks that build a nation through tech startups. He is also a professional football player and video games enthusiast.