Every year, millions of accidents occur across the U.S. Motor vehicle accidents vary in type and severity. The common types of accidents include rear-end collisions, fender benders, rollover accidents, head-on collisions, and side-impact collisions. Many drivers often wonder whether to hire a car accident lawyer. If you are a car accident victim, how can you determine when you should hire a car accident lawyer?
Do Not Wait Too Long
You should avoid waiting too long after a car accident before you hire a car accident lawyer. Immediately an accident occurs, the claims adjusters and the insurance company’s lawyer start working on the claim. If the insured is liable, the claim adjusters and the insurance company might shift the blame. The insurance company will try to shift the blame to avoid financial exposure. Contacting a lawyer immediately after an accident enables you to access the necessary legal counsel and guidance. A lawyer will advise you on how to deal with the insurance representatives in case they contact you. When should you hire a car accident lawyer? You should hire a lawyer if you find yourself in any of the following situations:
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When You Suffer Significant Injuries
You might not need the assistance of a car accident lawyer if you are involved in a minor accident that does not cause significant injuries. However, if you sustain severe injuries, you need a lawyer to help you assess the injuries' extent and advise you on the best reasonable compensation. The best way to protect your rights is by speaking with an experienced lawyer. After sustaining injuries in an accident, you will need supporting evidence, including a medical report to prove that you suffered the said injuries. A lawyer will help you gather all the required documentation to help you claim compensation for medical costs.
Vehicle accidents often result in serious accidents or even death. You might feel like you are in a gray area after suffering injuries in an accident. It would help if you never underestimated the degree of your injuries. The insurance company could go to the extent of convincing you that specific injuries like whiplash, bone fractures, concussions, and deep bruises aren’t severe. The truth is that most injuries sustained in a car accident cause severe complications and require a lengthy healing duration.
The injuries could result in a significant time away from work or school and hefty medical bills. You are entitled to fair compensation for all your pain, damages, and losses. Only a competent car accident lawyer can help you to access these benefits. Additional litigation might be necessary to help you negotiate for the compensation you deserve. Some of the injuries that your lawyer can help you seek compensation for include:
- Head injuries
- Paralysis
- Burns and scars
- Whiplash
- Permanent disability
- Muscle and joint injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limbs
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Significant Vehicle Damage
You need to consult an experienced car accident lawyer when your vehicle sustains damages in the accident. A lawyer will help you seek compensation for the vehicle repair costs. To determine the extent of injuries, the lawyer may involve vehicle repair experts. By doing this, he or she ensures that you secure the right compensation amount to repair the vehicle.
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If Another Person Or Party Contributed To The Accident
If you are involved in a car accident and believe that another party's actions or negligence contributed to the accident, you should contact an experienced lawyer. When an accident occurs, the parties involved are often quick to deny fault. No party likes to admit that they are to blame for an accident. A lawyer will come in handy in helping you establish negligence. Several parties could be negligent in a vehicle accident:
- Other road users, including drivers, riders, or pedestrians
- Government agency responsible for maintaining the roads
- Vehicle manufacturer
A lawyer will help you to prove the three elements of negligence. For you to blame the defendant for an accident, you must prove that:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care
- The defendant did not honor their duty of care
- You suffered damages or losses due to the defendant's breach of their duty of care.
If you choose to go it alone, you are likely to have difficulty proving that another party is to blame for the accident. Another driver might be liable for the accident if they:
- Engage in drunk driving
- They fail to adhere to traffic rules
- Engage in reckless driving
- Speeding
The government agency or body might be liable if an accident occurs due to poor road conditions or poor road signage. If an accident occurs due to a vehicle defect, including faulty brakes, the vehicle manufacturer could be liable for the accident.
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The Other Driver's Insurer Offers You A Low Settlement
You should hire a car accident lawyer if the other driver's insurer offers you a meager settlement. It is advisable to talk to a lawyer before you even agree on a settlement with the insurance company. Avoid making an official statement to the insurance company before you contact your lawyer. Immediately after an accident, it is challenging to determine the exact impacts of the accident on your life. You might not know the actual costs that will result from medical expenses incurred in seeking treatment for your injuries.
Only an experienced lawyer can help you analyze the extent of your damages. If you go it alone, you risk accepting a low settlement, which will not meet your injuries in full. Once you receive a settlement from the insurance company, you will not have the opportunity to go back and reject the settlement. Therefore, you should let your lawyer liaise with the insurers and insurance adjusters on your behalf.
You can't entirely trust the other party when a car accident occurs. The defendant or the insurance company will never have your interests at heart. Insurance adjusters may appear and sound friendly. However, you should never forget that insurance adjusters aim to save the insurance company money by limiting the compensation granted to the victim.
Insurance adjusters in Las Vegas are notorious for offering ''lowball'' settlements to clients. The settlement might seem attractive but is often much lower than what you deserve. When you work with an aggressive car accident lawyer, you will hold the insurance company accountable, which will make them offer you fair compensation. Irrespective of the nature or severity of a car accident, you should follow the following steps when dealing with insurance adjusters:
- If you have any concerns about the offer, don’t sign any document
- You should ensure that your lawyer inspects all the documents first
- If you have decided to hire a car accident lawyer, communicate to the insurance company politely and advise them to forward all inquiries and proposals to your lawyer
- Even if the insurance company tries to discourage you from doing so, ensure that you seek medical attention
- Don't despair, panic, or make a rushed decision when dealing with the insurance company or insurance adjusters
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When You Need Peace Of Mind
There is no price tag to the peace of mind that results from hiring a car accident lawyer. Handling your claim and letting you enjoy some calm is perhaps one of the most valuable moments that a car accident lawyer can offer you. Legal battles can be extremely stressful as you try to prove that another party's negligence caused the accident. A lawyer will shoulder all your legal battles by handling all the negotiations, paperwork, and the entire settlement process. Throughout the claim process, your lawyer will keep you updated on your case's progress. A lawyer will do all they can to protect your rights as you enjoy the peace of mind you need to speed the healing process.
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When You Are Blamed For The Accident
No one likes to accept the blame for a car accident because they know that they will have to compensate the victims for the damages suffered if found at fault. Even if you are not at fault, the other parties might blame you for the accident. It is crucial to have proof of innocence, and this is where a car accident lawyer comes in. Especially if you have never been involved in an accident before, dealing with the other party and their insurance company is strenuous.
A simple act like apologizing could shift the blame to you. You should never admit fault, even if you feel partly to blame for the accident. Contacting an experienced car accident lawyer will prevent you from being taken advantage of. A lawyer will ensure that your case is well investigated. A lawyer might even consult an accident reconstruction expert to determine what happened during the accident. By determining what happened during the accident, the lawyer can identify the party at fault.
It is not always clear about which party is at fault in a car accident. It helps to have a lawyer by your side, especially if you feel that the other parties are shifting liability to you unfairly. A lawyer will ensure that the other driver and their insurer do not take advantage of you.
In some instances, you could be partly to blame for the car accident. If you are at fault, you would not want to face the situation alone, mainly if the case proceeds to trial. You should find an aggressive lawyer who can help you fight the allegations. A lawyer will ensure that all the evidence is reviewed in the lawsuit for a fair case.
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To Help You In Calculating Intangible Losses
Not all injuries from a car accident are visible. You might suffer extreme emotional distress in the wake of an accident. Emotional distress could irreversibly alter your life. The other party and their insurance company will mainly focus on the physical injuries. If you are dealing with depression and anxiety after a car accident, you deserve medical treatment just as you would if you sustained a bodily injury. Hiring a competent lawyer means that you will have a reliable advocate to fight for you and ensure that you receive compensation.
You need to hire a car accident lawyer if you need help in determining the extent of your losses, especially the intangible losses. There is more to calculating the losses incurred in a car accident than determining the money lost. You also have to consider emotional damages sustained because of the accident. A lawyer will consider many factors when determining the extent of your losses. Many details have to be taken into consideration when determining the actual amount of compensation for your damages. It could be a considerable loss if these details are not taken into consideration. Hiring a top-rated car accident lawyer will help you ensure that you access the highest possible compensation amount. Some of the intangible damages sustained in a car accident include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment in life
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When You Have To Meet Important Legal Deadlines
While filing a car accident claim, you have to adhere to several legal deadlines. A reliable car accident lawyer will ensure that you do not miss any of these crucial deadlines. Depending on the insurer, an insurance policy may require that you notify the insurer about the collision as soon as possible. You also have to file the claim within the applicable statute of limitations which requires plaintiffs to file a claim within two years from when the accident occurred. If a government entity is involved, you have to file the claim within six months from when the accident occurred. Missing these deadlines could be detrimental. At times, missing a deadline could ruin your chances of ever acquiring compensation.
Why You Should Not Delay Before Hiring a Lawyer
A victim should not wait too long before hiring a car accident lawyer. Waiting too long before contacting a lawyer could be detrimental to your car accident claim. Below are some of the reasons why you should seek the help of a lawyer as soon as possible:
Delaying Could Send The Wrong Signal To The Insurance Company
If you take too long before pursuing a claim, you might send the wrong signal to the insurance company. The insurer might assume that you are not hurt or that you don’t want to pursue a claim. If you take too long before seeking a medical assessment, the insurance company might assume that the claim is not essential to you. The insurer might also think that you did not suffer significant injuries in the accident. When you hire a car accident lawyer, the lawyer will start pursuing your claim immediately. He or she will keep the insurance company on its toes until you acquire the right compensation.
You Might Furnish The Insurance Company With The Wrong Information
If you do not consult a car accident lawyer immediately after an accident, you might end up giving contradicting information to the insurance company. An insurance adjuster will contact you soon after the accident to record a statement from you. If there are some inaccuracies in your statement, the adjuster will use this against you. At times, a seemingly innocent statement like making an exclamation that your injuries are not so serious could hurt your claim. You should talk to your lawyer before you disclose any information to the insurance company.
Limited Time For The Lawyer To Gather Evidence
A car accident lawyer will need ample time to gather evidence to support your case. Waiting too long before contacting a lawyer could mean that the lawyer will not have ample time to investigate your case and interview witnesses. Therefore, it is advisable to involve a lawyer soon after the accident to give them enough time to handle your case. If you try to settle the claim on your own and only contact a lawyer when things go out of hand, he or she may be unable to negotiate the best deal for you.
Missing Crucial Deadlines
If you delay contacting a car accident lawyer, you might miss crucial deadlines, especially the statute of limitations. If the statute of limitation expires, you won’t be able to file the claim to seek compensation. Except in very rare and isolated situations, you will have lost your rights to recover.
It is wise to talk to a car accident lawyer in the event of a car accident, no matter how. A lawyer will help you know how to handle your case and the actions to take next.
Find a Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
If you or your loved one suffers injuries in a car accident in Las Vegas, NV, you should contact an experienced lawyer immediately. A lawyer will investigate the case, identify the liable parties, and help you file a lawsuit to seek compensation. Contact the Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorney Law Firm for reliable legal representation. Contact us at 702-996-1224 and speak to one of our personal injury lawyers.
