If you have recently been injured in a motor vehicle accident, Ring whether it is worth your time to speak with an attorney. This is not an uncommon response to suffering harm as a result of an accident. The ins and outs of the legal system are not always straightforward. If you are unsure of whether you have grounds upon which to pursue legal action, you are not alone. Similarly, if you are unsure of whether you should be navigating the insurance claims process by yourself, you are also not alone. Millions of Americans ponder these same questions each and every year.
Although there is no “one size fits all” approach to the aftermath of an accident that applies to every situation, there are some general rules of thumb that you can keep in mind when making a decision about scheduling a legal consultation in the wake of a crash. Generally speaking, if your injuries were so minor that you didn’t require medical attention and your property damage is only going to cost you a few hundred dollars to fix, your case is low-stakes enough that you can probably get by without an attorney’s assistance. But, if your injuries required medical care, you’ve missed work to recover, and/or your property damage is significant, it’s probably time to speak with a lawyer.
Insurance Considerations
As an experienced car accident lawyer – including those who practice at MartinWren, P.C. – can confirm, insurance companies tend to use a variety of tactics to minimize their liability. Don’t ever forget that insurance companies are for-profit enterprises primarily concerned with protecting their bottom-line for the benefit of their stockholders. As a result, any insurance claims adjuster assigned to your case is likely to do what they can to devalue or reject your claim outright.
Arguably the best thing you can do to protect yourself against these tactics is to hire an attorney to speak and negotiate with insurance claims representatives on your behalf. Lawyers who regularly deal with the insurance industry know how to efficiently and effectively manage claims to maximize compensation for their clients. As an added bonus, working with an attorney will allow you to focus on healing instead of navigating the stress and time-consuming challenges associated with insurance claims negotiation scenarios.
Pursuing Personal Injury Damages
If you choose to file a personal injury lawsuit against others who are responsible – in-part or completely – for the harm you’ve suffered, you’ll want to enlist the services of an experienced personal injury attorney as well. Filing a lawsuit is a very complex process and one that accident injury victims shouldn’t attempt to “DIY.”
More than nine out of every 10 lawsuits filed in civil courts across the country are settled before they reach the trial phase. Yet, you’ll want to work with an attorney who has a proven track record of success at both negotiating fair settlements and winning at trial… just in case your matter is one of the few that must be resolved by a jury.