Do I need a lawyer after a car accident? We put together a guide to help you determine if you need to call an attorney after getting in an accident.
You may be asking yourself “do I need a lawyer after a car accident?” If there are specific circumstances to your situation, then contacting a competent accident attorney is the right thing to do.
Use this helpful guide to determine if you need to hire an accident attorney to assist you with your car accident case. Consider whether your certain situation needs legal assistance to assist you in navigating today’s legal system and safeguard your interests.
Definition of a Car Crash
The phrase ”car accident” is defined by law. This definition has legal penalties attached to it that spells out what each individual party in a collision is responsible for.
Car (or motor vehicle) accidents are often called a “traffic collision.” These collisions happen when a car collides with another car or strikes either a stand-alone object or pedestrian.
To get their license, drivers must demonstrate what’s referred to as “legal duty.” This term means the driver will agree to obey traffic laws and handle their vehicle responsibly around bicyclists, pedestrians or other drivers.
Disagreements arise when a victim and driver dispute whether a driver acted with negligence or intentionally tried to evade fulfilling their legal duty.
What Can Car Accident Attorneys Do?
Car accident lawyers provide legal representation to both victims and drivers when a disagreement occurs. Accident attorneys are experts in tort law. They use their proficiency to lead your case through the court system as well as negotiate with your insurance company.
For example, the legal team at Hare Wynn are a nationally recognized personal injury law firm that specializes in representing car accident victims. They have defended the rights of injured people for more than 125 years. Call them for a free consultation with a car accident personal injury lawyer.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident? Factors to Consider
Both victims and drivers may need accident attorneys to represent them during the dispute. It’s important for both drivers and victims to act immediately after the accident occurs. You should call an accident lawyer if you find yourself in one of these following circumstances.
Conflicting Police, Accident, or Medical Reports
If you find any contradictory information in any police, insurance or medical reports involved with your collision case, your requests might be rejected. Car accident attorneys conduct their own inquiry into the details of your case and present their conclusions along with your response to what’s included in these relevant reports. If you notice reports that disagree with your own individual experience, call a car accident lawyer right away.
Disagreement Over Who Caused the Accident
In the US, almost all states are defined as an “at-fault state.” This designation means those states have laws that specify whether injured parties can’t be over half responsible for their accident to collect financial damages. When disagreements arise over any fault factor, your case will move towards the court system for a final decision.
Call an accident attorney if you’re the defendant or a victim in this matter. Accident attorneys can help navigate your state’s applicable laws to determine whether your case fits the “no-fault” definition.
Critical Injuries That Need Hospital Care
If you endured critical injuries from your car collision, you will have substantial hospital expenses while you regain your health. You could also have significant, ongoing medical expenses well into the future.
Your ongoing health condition could be damaged if there are any ongoing negative impacts of your injuries. A car accident attorney will help you recoup these fees you’ll need to pay for these ongoing costs.
These same parameters will apply when you are responsible for injuring someone else. That other person may have high medical fees and other ongoing costs to meet their ongoing health conditions. A car accident personal injury attorney can help you develop a payment schedule for these ongoing costs.
Multiple Injured Parties
You should call an accident lawyer if your accident has multiple people injured. Multiple medical records and personal statements submitted during the investigation can muddy your case results even further. An accident attorney knows how to oversee multiple case files and all of the pending testimony to successfully safeguard your interests.
Emotional Suffering or Loss of Loved One
Injuries can create serious physical suffering as well as emotional distress. This is especially true if a car accident caused either significant injuries or the death of a family member. These types of damages are commonly referred to as “pain and suffering.”
Pain and suffering is a legal term that pertains to both physical and emotional stress that is caused by an automobile accident. Many US states allow these victims to seek recovery for this type of damage.
Unsafe Road Conditions or in Public Right of Way Areas
Accidents created by unsafe road conditions may involve multiple persons in your injury claim. If you’re a victim in an accident that happens in a public right of way, you’ll submit your claim with a governmental office. Accident lawyers can assist you with drafting and submitting your claims.
If you’re at fault for injuries to another person in these public right of ways, both you and the governmental agency may be at fault. Many disputes might be filed by the injured party to the court. Car collision lawyers know how to track these many legal proceedings that will follow to make sure you’re interests are represented.
Next Steps
Does your individual vehicle accident case contain any of these similar scenarios? If it does, then calling an accident lawyer is a smart first move to make. These highly trained professionals are experts at guiding your case through the appropriate justice system channels.
If you decide to call a car accident lawyer, look for someone with extensive litigation skills. These law skills will be necessary for the event you are unable to negotiate a settlement.
If you’re still asking yourself “do I need a lawyer after a car accident?” be sure to visit our website for more information. You’ll find more advice there on how to get back on track after a distressing car accident.