“Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?”

Getting into a car accident can be an immensely stressful and traumatic experience. It can be even more so when you find yourself asking the question, “Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?” Finding yourself in that situation can be even more nerve-wracking and frightening as you decide what is the best course of action. Luckily, there are a few things you can ask yourself before making that call. Here are a few inquiries that’s good to think about before the next step.

How to know when to contact a lawyer

Determining when to call a law firm is important. A car accident can mean anything from a fender bender to a full on collision, so it can be difficult to know when a lawyer should be called. There are a couple things to indicate it would be in your best interest to seek an attorney.

1. Another party has been involved. If another vehicle or pedestrian was involved in the crash, it’s a good idea to find a reliable law firm, should the other party wish to press charges.
   1. Issues with your insurance come up. If you do not have insurance or your insurance company claims you did not pay your premium lawyer, it is then necessary to find an accident lawyer.
      
      1. A death or injury has occurred from the accident. If either party was seriously injured or, in the worst case scenario, a death has occurred, a lawyer becomes essential. An injury lawyer will be able to assist you in reaching a settlement. Around 95 to 96% of personal injury cases are settled outside of court, with only a small four to five percent actually making it to trial. A personal injury lawyer can greatly help to get you your settlement much faster.
         1. If the cause of the crash is not clear or has been wrongly associated with you. Who is at fault is a huge part in determining court settlements. If you truly believe the blame does not fall on you, then it is time to seek an auto accident lawyer. If you believe the other party was distracted or intoxicated, finding a lawyer becomes crucial. In 2013 alone, around 3, 154 people were killed in vehicle accident as a result of a distracted driver, and over 424,000 people were injured. Driving drunk increases the risk for a car crash immensely, to the point that every two minutes, someone is injured in a drunk driving collision. Finding who is at fault becomes incredibly important in any lawsuit.

            Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?

            Answer: If any of the above apply to you, then yes.
            

            Once you’ve found this out, then comes the next thing to think about.

            When to file a lawsuit

            Depending on which state you live in, limitations on who you can sue can differ greatly. The law of “statutes of limitations” set time limits on how long you can wait to file a civil lawsuit, such as personal injury. Typically the statue of limitations is between one to two years, yet each state is different. Be sure to research your own states laws on this.

            Once you’ve determined the statue of limitations set place in your state, the next thing to consider for the overall question of “Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?” is when you should settle versus when you should completely pursue a lawsuit. A common thing for insurance companies to do is to offer a couple thousand dollars as a settlement in the first few days following the accident. While this may seem like an easy solution to the problem, be sure to carefully consider exactly how much the settlement will pay for, including medical bills and lost wages. If it won’t, then don’t settle and contact a lawyer. Their legal team will investigate the scene of the accident, create a case to support you and take all your bills into account to work to get you more money.

            Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?

            Answer: If the settlement the insurance companies want to pay you doesn’t cover all your expenses, then yes.