When to Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident?

When to Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident

It should go without saying that you need to hire a car accident attorney when you have suffered an injury in a crash caused by another driver. After all, you need an experienced professional in your corner when dealing with the insurance company. The only real question is when you need to retain the services of a car accident lawyer, and the answer is as soon as possible after the crash.

There is simply too much on the line to trust yourself to deal with an experienced insurance adjuster looking to protect their employer at all costs. They will get the better of you every single time because that is exactly what they are trained to do in their job.

If you have not already spoken with a Palatine car accident attorney, now is the time to reach out to one. Car accident lawyers offer free initial consultations to prospective clients, where you can discuss your case and learn about the legal path forward. You may emerge from the initial consultation with a sense of whether and how you may obtain a settlement check for your car accident injuries.

Not only does the consultation cost you nothing, but you never have to pay anything out of your own pocket for the services of a car accident attorney. You only pay if you win your case, and then the attorney is paid out of the proceeds of your settlement or award. You take no financial risk when you hire a car accident lawyer, but you take every risk in the world when you try to handle your case on your own.

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What Happens in the Days After a Car Accident?

Many things are going on in the immediate aftermath of the car accident that has injured you. The first thing you should address is your health, seeking treatment from a doctor for your injuries. Even if you do not think you have been badly injured, you should always act cautiously when it comes to your health.

Car accident injuries like whiplash can develop in the days after a crash, and they can worsen if you do not seek immediate treatment. If your injuries are more apparent, you should be vigilant about obtaining care and following up on all treatment recommendations.

The aftermath of a car accident becomes chaotic and stressful practically immediately after it happens. You need to take action but be cautious not to say or do anything that compromises the legal process.

You will need to report the accident to your own insurance company, being careful not to offer opinions or too many details about the crash because you are not necessarily dealing with an entity that is friendly to your interests. Just because it is your provider does not mean the company is ready to be fair if you need benefits from your coverage for some reason.

Car AccidentAt the same time, the other driver’s insurance company may try to contact you, and here is where the real danger lies. The insurance companies may not yet have determined liability for the accident. The other driver’s insurance company might be looking for ammunition, and their adjuster may approach you in a friendly manner, seeking to elicit information. No matter how much they express concern for your well-being, their real priority is getting as much as they can out of you. The insurance company wants to hear about the accident and injuries in your own words because they will act like they have it on the record.

Simply stated, this is a conversation that you should never have. The best thing to do is to refer the insurance company to your car accident lawyer. If you do not yet have an attorney, you may be under immense pressure to engage in a conversation you are not obligated to have. Regardless, you should not hesitate to tell the insurance company “no thank you” when they ask to have a conversation with you that can potentially damage your case.

Liability May Not Always Be Apparent After a Car Accident

Even though you may think you know what happened in the car accident, it may not be the “official” story that the insurance companies will consider when determining liability. There may still be work that the insurance companies will do when they confer with each other to determine fault for the car accident. During this time, you need someone other than yourself to tell your story. You may not be persuasive when you are dealing with injuries, and the other driver’s insurance company is looking for a way to discredit your case.

The immediate time after the accident is one of the most critical junctures in your legal case. If you make any mistakes, it can be hard to dig out from them later in time, even when you eventually hire a car accident attorney. You should never make any assumptions or take anything for granted after a car accident. The best way to protect your legal rights at this early juncture is to hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The less that you try to do in your case, the better off you are.

Your Car Accident Must Be Investigated Immediately

When you file an insurance claim, you must include evidence that details what happened in the accident. You aim to prove that the other driver was negligent, giving their insurance company a legal obligation to fully compensate you for your injuries. It may be virtually impossible for a car accident attorney to come in well after the crash and perform a complete and effective investigation.

Your car accident legal case depends on the strength of the evidence you can assemble. However, car accident evidence does not have an indefinite shelf life. For example, the most effective form of proof might be testimony from witnesses who may have seen the crash. They can become harder to track down over time, and their recollections of the accident may not be as fresh when you contact them after some time. It is vital to speak with them right after the crash.

The same thing goes for physical evidence from the scene of the crash. You may not even have days before that begins to disappear and lose reliability. Even an accident reconstruction expert may not effectively do their work if they are contacted too long after the accident.

Thus, it is crucial to have your car accident lawyer begin their investigation immediately. Waiting too long can jeopardize your case, as an attorney might not do as effective of a job when they come into your case well after the crash. Just like any other type of case, a car accident claim can go cold after a certain period of time.

You May Not Be in a Condition to Handle Any Details

emotional distressThere is already enough on your plate when you have suffered an injury in a car accident. Besides getting the medical care you need, you are dealing with the immediate changes in your life. You may still be dealing with anxiety and emotional distress from the crash and the aftermath. Having to deal with details and insurance companies can only serve to heighten your anxiety.

When you hire a car accident lawyer, all you have to do is speak to them and sign the representation agreement. They will get to work on everything and handle your case’s day-to-day challenges. Thus, you do not have to worry about any stressors from the legal process itself because your car accident lawyer will do the work. Thus, you can be freed up to deal with other important things, such as getting medical care and taking care of your health.

Your Car Accident Lawyer Needs Time to Prepare Your Case

You will not file a car accident claim or lawsuit the instant that you hire an attorney for your case. It takes them time to learn about the facts of your case and to put you in a position where you are ready to file a claim. Your car accident attorney may need a considerable amount of preparation, which includes investigating the car accident. They need time to draft your claim to be the most persuasive possible document. Hiring a car accident lawyer right after the accident gives them enough opportunity to do their most thorough possible work.

You Must File Your Claim Before the Statute of Limitations Expires

You have a limited amount of time to file a car accident lawsuit. Each state imposes a statute of limitations on your timeframe to sue. Although this period is generally more than one year, you may want to negotiate with the insurance company for some time before you know you have to file a lawsuit. Between your attorney taking time to prepare your case and settlement negotiations, you may be running out of time to file your case. You should never be in a rush when you file a lawsuit because it will be subject to dismissal by the court if it fails to state a claim.

You Need to Know Your Legal Options

You must understand how the car accident compensation system works to make the most effective possible decisions in your case. Hopefully, this is the first time you have had to file any type of lawsuit in a personal injury case. Thus, you may not understand exactly how the legal process works or how to obtain compensation for your injuries.

A car accident lawyer knows the ropes of the legal system. They will take the time to listen to you and answer any questions that you may have about your case. They will explain how you can seek compensation in your case and how the legal process may unfold. Essentially, they are your guide to the legal system. It is helpful to know what you are dealing with shortly after your accident to minimize your stress.

How to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

Joseph V. Vito
Joseph V. Vito, Palatine Car Accident Attorney

You do not have to do as much work as you think to hire a car accident attorney for your case. All it takes is a phone call and a meeting, and you can have an attorney in place to represent you. Start looking for a lawyer early so you may have the time to speak with several potential attorneys. It costs you nothing to speak with a car accident lawyer for a few minutes so you can determine whether they are a proper fit for your case. Take the time to ask questions about their background and how they see your case materializing.

To get the legal help you need, you will sign a representation agreement that establishes an attorney-client relationship with the attorney. All you need to do is promise to pay an attorney a portion of the proceeds of your case should you receive them. You do not have to pay any money out of your pocket to get legal help. If you do not win your case, you pay no fees at all.

Your car accident attorney is paid the same percentage of your case no matter when you hire them or how long the settlement negotiations take. It makes sense to get legal protection for the maximum amount of time by hiring a car accident lawyer early in your case. You do not pay them anything extra for the time.

There is such a time when it can be too late to hire a car accident attorney and have them be at their most effective. Since your lawyer needs time to work and they have a limited period to investigate your case, a car accident attorney may be unable to help as much when you hire them long after your accident. They may scramble to play catchup when many important details are already settled.

The Time to Consult a Car Accident Attorney is Now

What are you waiting for? Case evaluations are free, there are plenty of reasons to hire a Palatine personal injury lawyer, and no drawbacks to legal representation.

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