When you are injured in a car accident, the first thing that you will be asking yourself is whether you need an attorney. If the parties in the wreck have not suffered any injuries, chances are that you can settle the claims with your car insurance. Minor injuries can also be dealt with through the insurance companies. However, if you find that you are not getting the results that you think you should, you can hire an attorney. For accidents that have major injuries and major damage to your car, you should hire a car accident attorney immediately.
Hiring an Attorney
If you have an accident where your injuries and the damage to your vehicle will total over $1,000, you should hire a lawyer. You will also need to hire a lawyer if your accident involved any of the following:
- A pedestrian.
- A bicyclist.
- A drunk driver or a driver under the influence of drugs.
- Road construction.
- Bus.
- A motorcycle
- Head on collision.
- Defective car part.
- Permanent injury.
- Missed work.
If you have had any of the above situations, you should contact an attorney immediately. Waiting to contact an attorney will just delay the process and you will not get the money that you need and deserve. The insurance company will try to get you to settle for the lowest amount possible and this could leave you with financial difficulties. Many people have settled without the help of a lawyer and have ended up in debt.
Paying for an Attorney
Some people are concerned that they will not be able to pay for an attorney. Fortunately, most attorney’s do not require payment before you get a settlement from the insurance company. Most will work with you to ensure that you get the settlement that you need, and they get their legal fees took care of.
The Benefits of Hiring an Attorney
When you hire a lawyer, his or her team will fully investigate your accident. They will ask questions of you, the other party, the police department and whomever else was involved in the accident and those who witnessed it. They will make sure that they determine the fault of the accident and who should be responsible.
Your attorney will also get all your medical records and may even speak to your doctor about your long-term recovery if you have been severely injured. He or she will also look at the damage done to your vehicle. Your attorney will also look at how much work you have missed and how much the accident has affected your life. This will help aid them in putting together your case to make sure that you get the right amount from the insurance company.
