Do You Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

Car accidents are stressful, often leaving victims traumatized by the experience or left to endure devastating injuries and debilitating pain while trying to figure out how to pay for the medical expenses that keep piling up. Following a car accident, you can file a personal injury claim yourself, but just because you can does not mean you should.

As a victim of an auto accident, you do not have to endure this challenging ordeal alone. When you have an experienced lawyer on your side, they can help you get through this difficult time while taking on the complex legal battle for you, saving you stress and money in the process.

In this guide, we will discuss not only why you need a lawyer after a car accident but the kind of lawyer you need to make sure you obtain the maximum damages you are entitled to.

Should You Call a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

Following an accident, it can be difficult to determine if you need to contact a lawyer to discuss your car crash. Sometimes car accidents are life-changing events and it is easy to figure out that you need to call an experienced car accident attorney right away.

On the other hand, minor car crashes may appear relatively straightforward on the surface and you may think you do not need to discuss them with a lawyer. But they too can cause ongoing health issues that can lead to problematic personal injury claims.

As a result, no matter the size or scope of your car accident. If you have been harmed in a car crash or suffered property damage, you must contact a skilled and knowledgeable car accident lawyer to go over your case and discuss the possible legal options you have.

When to Call a Lawyer After a Car Accident

It is never too early to call an accident attorney to speak about your case. Contacting a lawyer should be a priority if you are involved in any of the following situations:

• It is unclear who was responsible for the car crash.
• The motor vehicle accident caused severe injuries.
• The car crash involved pedestrians, cyclists, or other motorists.
• The vehicle collision occurred in a protected area such as a school zone or a construction zone.
• There are concerns about the liability limits, lack of insurance, or insurance status.
• The insurance company is playing games regarding issues that you are not aware of or has you speaking to another lawyer.

Remember, discussing your case with a car accident lawyer does not mean you have to hire them or take the legal action they recommend. This is just a time for you to go over your claim, discuss your options, and determine whether the attorney is the right fit for you.

Should You Hire an Attorney For a Car Accident?

There are countless personal injury attorneys out there that are ready to take on your case. When it comes to a successful car accident claim, it is about more than just picking the first name that comes up.

When you decide to hire a personal injury lawyer following a car accident, you need to retain a professional:

• That you can trust.
• That is incredibly knowledgeable about the relevant laws and the procedural issues that can affect your claim.
• Who is ready to be your strongest advocate and act on your behalf through the whole case process from start to finish.

Remember, these attorneys are there to tell your side of the story while pursuing compensation for every dollar your injury has cost you. The best way to obtain a fair resolution for your car accident case and make sure the wrongful parties are brought to justice is to have an experienced, skilled, and articulate lawyer working for you and protecting your legal rights.

When Should You Hire an Attorney?

When it comes to the timing of hiring an attorney, there is no right answer but keep in mind that it is often in your best interest to contact a skilled car accident lawyer about your injury claim as soon as possible.

Once retained, your attorney can make sure that your vehicle collision is thoroughly investigated by experts, such as accident reconstructionists, that can provide insight into what happened, how the crash occurred, and who was at fault. This information can be invaluable as you pursue financial recovery for the losses you sustained.

You also need to factor in specific time limitations. Every state has a statute of limitations law that dictates the maximum amount of time you have to pursue a claim.

In West Virginia, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years. This means you only have two years from the accident to file a lawsuit. Otherwise, you will be barred from obtaining compensation for your injuries.

For these reasons, to ensure your rights are protected, it is in your best interest to work with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to make sure your legal filings are done correctly and filed before time runs out.

Should You Hire a Lawyer Even For a Minor Accident?

Although there is no requirement that you hire a car accident attorney for a minor accident, it is often a good idea since injuries and damages are not always as they appear and can cause you significant problems down the road.

For instance, serious head and brain trauma, whiplash, and shoulder injuries can take days or weeks to manifest, making you believe for a period of time that you suffered no harm following the minor incident.

As these injuries present themselves, you end up suffering the effects of injuries that require long-term medical treatments, numerous doctor appointments, and surgeries that leave you swamped with extensive medical bills and no idea how to pay them.

It is never a bad idea to call a personal injury lawyer to discuss your car crash, even if you believe that it was a relatively minor one.

Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

If you are looking to bring a successful car accident claim, you need to be able to provide detailed and relevant evidence as well as sound legal arguments that can prove liability and damages. After a car accident, the last thing on your mind is figuring out how to craft these solid arguments or where you need to go to obtain this critical evidence.

With a skilled car accident attorney on your side, you will not have to worry about these steps. These lawyers can:

• Evaluate your claims and provide you with legal advice.
• Investigate your car crash and secure the evidence required to prove who was at fault.
• Obtain witness testimony to build the strongest possible claim on your behalf.
• Handle all the discussions and negotiations with the insurance company.
• Fight for a fair settlement.
• Take your case to trial, and work to bring it to a successful resolution while going after maximum compensation.

Remember, insurance companies have teams of adjusters and lawyers who start evaluating your injury claim right away, trying to discover ways to deny it. Because of this, you want to retain a skilled car accident lawyer immediately to make sure that you can level the playing field.

Contact The Miley Legal Group Today

Car accident claims are intricate, complicated, and tedious. All you want is to get fair compensation from the person that caused your harm and losses. But what you end up with is a long, grueling fight with the insurance companies.

Unfortunately, insurance companies, like other businesses, want to make a profit, and by paying a car accident victim less, the more money they make. That is why they will try anything they can to reduce your payout and leave you on the hook for bills that you should not have to pay.

You do not have to deal with these stressful negotiations and devastating injuries on your own. If your life was disrupted because of a car accident, do not wait to seek the legal help you require.

Contact The Miley Legal Group today for a free case consultation, and let the trusted car accident lawyers at our law firm help you obtain the money you need to rebuild your life.