Nobody is prepared for a car accident and all the ways it can cause pain and suffering, financial loss, and inconvenience your life. Although there is no obligation to hire a car accident attorney, it makes sense if you suffer injuries or substantial property damage.
Whatever you decide, it’s wise to talk to a car accident attorney soon after your accident before you enter negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance company that may harm your case.
Although there’s no hard and fast rule, it makes sense to hire a car accident lawyer in the following scenarios:
1 You sustained serious injuries.
Insurance companies’ first obligations are to their shareholders. They are notorious for lowballing accident victims who suffer serious injuries. Insurers rarely offer fair compensation and often put up a fight to break the willpower of claimants. It’s tough to fight an insurance company alone when you are trying to recover from injuries and facing financial meltdown.
Motorists who sustain serious injuries may have complications that last for months, years, or even for life. Victims who suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and catastrophic fractures may incur millions of dollars in medical bills. A car accident attorney will calculate a figure for your future medical costs and long-term needs. The lawyer will calculate a figure for pain and suffering.
2 You are struggling to pay medical bills
Attorneys are trained negotiators. They can often help significantly lower your medical bills. An attorney may be able to negotiate with health insurance companies to set up a payment plan or defer big bills.
3 The other driver’s insurance company wants a recorded statement
Always be wary of making recorded statements. Insurance adjusters often ask detailed questions to find inconsistencies in the statements of claimants. Any admission of blame for an accident can reduce your potential payout. Consider hiring a car accident lawyer before you enter discussions with the insurance company to avoid making mistakes. Attorneys are aware of all of the potential pitfalls and take over the negotiations on your behalf.
4 The insurance company denies all or part of your claim.
Insurance companies do all they can to deny or reduce claims, particularly when liability for an accident is not clear-cut. If you are making little headway with the insurance company, consider hiring a lawyer. Legal experts may find aspects of the case you are not aware of. Insurance companies typically take claims more seriously when lawyers are involved and are under strict deadlines to progress the case once litigation is filed in court.
5 Your accident included a complex web of liability
Some car accidents involve multiple vehicles and more than one driver is responsible. Attorneys will assess liability from all parties. You may lose money that is owed to you if you deal directly with the insurance company after a chain-reaction crash or an accident with multiple vehicles.
6 The accident involved a commercial vehicle
When a truck driver causes a wreck, many parties can potentially be held responsible. Trucking companies are often held liable for the actions of their drivers while loading companies, brokers, mechanics, and others can share the blame. This means payouts are typically larger in trucking accidents. You should hire a Houston car accident lawyer to maximize your payout.
7 The case involved a death
Always hire a car accident lawyer if a loved one died in a wreck. Relatives in a wrongful death case can claim for lost earning capacity, lost care, maintenance, advice the deceased would have offered to family members, and mental pain and anguish experienced by the survivors. This is a highly complicated set of claims that should be worked on by a car accident lawyer.
8 The police report contained inaccuracies
We expect police officers to compile a detailed report at the accident scene. In reality, police reports often contain inaccuracies. Patrol officers have busy and stressful jobs and your car accident may not be their top priority. If you realize an important fact that could help your case was omitted from the report, it could harm your eventual payout. A car accident lawyer will challenge inconsistencies in a police report.
9 Negotiations are dragging on
Insurance companies often stall on claims. This can be due to the sheer workload faced by big insurers such as Progressive and GEICO. Insurance companies may also drag out negotiations to break down a claimant. If an insurance company is not being cooperative, you should consider hiring a lawyer.
10 The other party hired a lawyer
If the other party hired a lawyer, you may be at a disadvantage if you fail to hire one, particularly in disputed cases where the other party will try to claim you caused the wreck.
11 Your car suffered serious damage.
Cars lose a lot of value when they are seriously damaged and repaired. A car accident lawyer can make a diminished value claim to compensate for what you lost.
Talk to a Houston Attorney About When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
At Ramji Law Group, our lawyers offer free consultations to prospective clients. We will give you candid advice on whether you should hire a car accident lawyer. Important considerations include potential liability on your behalf and the extent of injuries and damage. Please contact us for a consultation at (713) 470-0112.
