Do You Need Legal Help After Your Car Wreck?
Even personal injury attorneys will tell you that not all accidents call for legal help. If the accident is relatively minor and no one was hurt, you might just be able to let the insurance carriers handle it. Most insurance policies cover vehicle repair or replacement, and if you need to go to the hospital to get checked out, which is a good idea, you are covered for that too. There are times, however, when not speaking to an attorney would be foolish. Read on to learn about how to know if legal help is needed.
It would be a really good idea to seek legal advice if:
1. There are issues about who is at fault. Not all accidents present cases of 100% fault for one party, so if the other side is alleging that you had something to do with the accident, seek help.
2. You have only minor injuries, but they are enough to prevent you from taking care of the claims process yourself.
3. You are being asked by the other side to submit your medical records and not just your medical records from the accident but from the past. Your injuries could be under question with an allegation of a having a preexisting condition.
4. The at-fault driver's insurance carrier has offered you a settlement, but the amount is not nearly enough to cover the damages.
5. The other side has offered you a structured settlement. These settlements can be complex and you might not realize what you are agreeing to without legal help.
6. The other side is agreeing to pay you lost wages, but the nature of your work makes your pay irregular or you are self-employed. For example, placing a value on your time if you are the owner of a business may require some professional legal assistance.
It would be extremely unwise not to seek help if:
1. Your insurance claim for damages is being denied and the reason they give for the denial is an obvious error. You could miss out on any coverage at all if you fail to act on this issue.
2. You have suffered from severe injuries as a result of the wreck and had to be hospitalized, had surgery and now need continuing medical care. Even minor injuries can result in high medical bills, and you want to ensure that the other has to pay those bills. Additionally, you will need the damages to include future medical needs, such as physical therapy and more surgeries if needed.
3. You now find yourself unable to work at your job and feel that you may never be able to do so again. Permanent injuries can mean an enhanced level of compensation should be coming your way.
4. This was no simple accident; there were more than two cars involved and there are now multiple lawsuits and cases in play. The more complicated the accident, the more you will need legal help.
5. You are surprised to find out that the other driver is filing suit against you for the accident.
Seek advice from an insurance dispute attorney if you have questions.