Personal Injury Lawyer
Based upon television ads from law firms, it might be easy to assume that everyone involved in an auto accident will be offered a low ball settlement, mistreated by the insurance company, and need a car accident lawyer to ensure things go right. In many situations, these companies will do their job as they are expected. In other situations, the claim may not be worth it to hire a car accident lawyer. That being said, there are certainly situations in which you would want the help of a car accident lawyer.
The following are some examples of cases where a car accident lawyer may not be needed. Before we explain, it may always be a good idea to consult a lawyer first before you make any decisions about how to handle your situation.
There Were No Injuries
There are certain scenarios where all of the damage done was to property. For example, no one was in either vehicle, or a loose gear shifter caused an accident that didn’t involve any humans. If no one was hurt or there was no damage, filing a personal injury claim might not be necessary. Furthermore, if there were very mild injuries that were evaluated by a doctor, and only require a few days rest, a car accident lawyer might not be needed. It must be understood that you should be careful when making any judgement regarding “no injuries”. What might seem harmless could turn out to be a problem later on.
If you were involved in the accident, you should get medical attention. A doctor should evaluate you and clear you of any risk or possible complications. This should be done before you choose not to hire a car accident lawyer.
The Claim is Very Small
There are certain situations in which the potential recovery of a claim will be so small that it is not worth it to hire a lawyer. For example, if there was only damage to the car, and the car had 200,000 miles on it, a lawyer may not be able to recover very much. You would likely be better suited to talking with the insurance company. If you have any doubts, you can call a lawyer.
When You May Need a Car Accident Lawyer
If any of the following apply to your situation, you may need a car accident lawyer:
- You were injured
- You suffered from broken bones, internal injuries, loss of limb, scarring, and other moderate to severe injuries
- You required a stay in the hospital
- Your long term health was affected
- You have medical bills that cost over a couple thousand dollars
- You are unable to work
- You have suffered non economic losses
- There is a dispute over whose fault the accident was
- Multiple people were injured in the accident
- The accident involves curious factors
- The accident happened in a construction zone
- The paperwork looks inaccurate or questionable
- There are complicated details
- Insurance adjusters are being unfair
- Someone died in the accident
It is recommended that you ask yourself, “Am I ready to give the firm an average of 30 to 50 percent of the settlement?” If you don’t understand what this means, you can, and should, call a car accident lawyer,today.