None of us expects to be in a car accident, but the fact is, car accidents are surprisingly common. If you drive on a regular basis, and you drive your entire life, it may be only a matter of time before you eventually get involved in a collision.
If you’re lucky, that collision will be a small, inconsequential fender bender with little to no injuries on either side. But if you get hurt, or if the damage to your property is significant, you’ll probably want to get a lawyer involved.
Many people understandably prefer to resolve matters as simply, quickly, and inexpensively as possible, so they may be reluctant to talk to an attorney after a relatively small accident.
When exactly is it worth talking to a lawyer after a car accident?
What an Initial Meeting With a Lawyer Can Do
When you first talk to a personal injury attorney, they’re going to ask you all the details about your car accident. They want to know who was involved, exactly what happened, and any possible defenses the other side could raise. Once they have an outline of this situation, they can help you understand your legal position and the options in front of you. If you have an insurance settlement offer already on the table, they can help you review that too.
Ultimately, your lawyer’s job is to put you in the best possible legal and financial position by the end of this matter. If it doesn’t make sense to take any legal action, they’ll tell you so. But if it’s worth fighting for a larger settlement or if there are secondary claims you can make, your lawyer will advise you on those facts.
If you decide to move forward, your lawyer will be your representative and will negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies and opposing counsel.
Ultimately, their job is to get you as much compensation as possible. With their help, you can get compensation for more of your expenses and resolve the matter in a way that’s much more equitable for you.
The Costs of Talking to a Lawyer After a Car Accident
We’ve covered the benefits of talking to a lawyer after a car accident, but what about the costs?
Essentially, talking to a lawyer for an initial consultation is free. Nearly all personal injury attorneys are willing to talk to you about the details of your case and your legal options without charging you a penny. Instead, you’ll only need to pay if you decide to move forward with them as legal representation, and even then, you’ll only pay if you win a settlement.
There is essentially no financial risk to talking to an attorney after a car accident, and the only thing you’ll lose is a little bit of your time. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to talk to a lawyer after a car accident, regardless of its scope, the extent of damages, or even your personal disposition.
Should You Accept an Insurance Settlement?
Settlement offers are designed to fairly compensate you for an accident in exchange for you dropping any legal claims. However, it’s important to remember that insurance companies are incentivized to pay you as little as possible. So that initial settlement offer may not be sufficient to cover all your damages. Before you accept that initial settlement offer, you should be very mindful of this. Consider pushing back with a lawyer negotiating on your behalf.
The Right Strategy
The right strategy for most people to follow after a car accident is to:
- – Remain silent. Don’t talk about the car accident. Don’t post about it on social media. Be careful what you share with police officers.
- – Gather evidence. After prioritizing your health and safety, you should work together as much evidence as possible about the car accident. The more evidence you have in your favor, the better.
- – File an official report. Official police reports may seem redundant or unnecessary, especially if the accident is a straightforward one. But this is going to serve as an official record of events. It’s going to be important to evidence moving forward.
- – Get medical attention. Make sure you get medical attention as soon as possible, preferably going to the emergency room after your collision. You have a legal duty to mitigate damages this way – and it’s the only reliable way to get compensation later.
- – Hire and trust an attorney. As early as possible after taking care of your health, hire a lawyer and begin trusting and following their advice.
Car accidents range from mild to devastating, and they can happen at any time. If you want to be fairly compensated and seek justice after your car accident, you owe it to yourself to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.