how soon to get a lawyer after an accident

by Prof. Josephine Watsica III 6 min read

You can hire an attorney immediately after a car accident to help you assess your losses and explore the options available to you through your own insurance policy.

When do you need to hire a car accident lawyer?

When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

  • FLORIDA. Retaining a competent and experienced auto accident attorney as soon as possible is vital if you are injured in a wreck.
  • ALABAMA. When do you need to hire an auto accident lawyer? ...
  • ARIZONA. ...
  • CALIFORNIA. ...
  • GEORGIA. ...
  • ILLINOIS. ...
  • INDIANA. ...
  • LOUISIANA. ...
  • MASSACHUSETTS. ...
  • NORTH DAKOTA. ...

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When to get an attorney for a car accident?

The following are only some ways an attorney can assist you:

  • Communicating with the insurance companies of the liable parties
  • Obtaining evidence of liability and damages
  • Negotiating for the settlement you need and deserve
  • Negotiating with lien holders
  • Determining when it’s time to file a personal injury lawsuit
  • Handling the litigation process to reach a settlement agreement

How to find the right car accident attorney for You?

Tips on Working with Your Lawyer

  1. First, the lawyer should have a great reputation. Research reviews of lawyers by other clients to see how many other people have had success with him or her.
  2. If you are the one filing the lawsuit, find a lawyer with the experience and knowledge to handle your case. ...
  3. Ask the lawyer for a summary of his or her practice in these types of cases. ...

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Do I need an attorney for a car accident?

You are not required to hire an attorney after a car accident. In most cases, in fact, it is unnecessary. Start by filing an insurance claim and proceed from there. If you are offered a settlement that you feel is unjustly low, you should hire a lawyer to negotiate on your behalf.

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Why do you need a car accident attorney?

Hiring a car accident attorney may make the settlement process go more quickly and more smoothly and avoid dangerous pitfalls; it may also help you to recover damages that you did not know to ask for.

What is the importance of a car accident lawyer?

Contacting a car accident lawyer is especially important, then, if all parties do not agree about the details of the accident, especially who was at fault. A unique form of “Contributory negligence” rules also apply in South Dakota. That means that fault can be divided in a car accident, and it also means that you cannot be awarded damages ...

How long do you have to settle a car accident in South Dakota?

If you agree to a settlement early only to discover that it is not enough, you will not have a second chance to negotiate. Legally, you have three years after a car accident to request a remedy from a South Dakota civil court for a personal injury claim against an at fault driver, but it is to your advantage to consult with a car accident lawyer as ...

What is the number to contact Turbak Law Office?

For more information, contact Turbak Law Office today at (866) 231-0914.

What is a major car accident claim?

Major claims may include the cost of extensive medical care and treatment, hospitalization, surgery, rehab, replacement services and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.

How long does it take for an insurance company to settle a claim?

If a settlement is offered and you do not agree with it, you may reject the settlement in turn. Even an apparently straightforward claim may take months to settle, and a complex case may take years.

Does Turbak Law Office accept car accident cases?

Turbak Law Office accepts most car accident cases on a contingency fee basis: your attorney will not get paid until you have been compensated. Moreover, if you do not receive compensation, you will typically not be responsible for paying for the attorney’s services.

You Should Contact an Attorney as Soon as Possible

In law, it is not often there is a simple, unequivocal answer to a question, but when it comes to how long after an accident you should wait to call an attorney, there is no gray area: Find a lawyer as soon as you can. There are many reasons this is the case, including:

Call Page Law to Retain a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney Today

Any delay in contacting a lawyer can have a detrimental effect on your personal injury case, so you should contact a lawyer as soon as you can after an accident. To schedule a free consultation with a St. Louis car accident lawyer, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515 or contact us online.

Do I Really Need a Car Accident Lawyer Right Away?

It is natural to hope that the insurance companies will handle your case without any outside involvement. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for insurance companies to delay, minimize, or deny claims. After an accident, you have enough on your plate with pain, lost wages, and an endless stream of medical bills.

What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?

Every auto accident is unique, so your lawyer’s duties can vary. Typically, your lawyer will do the following:

Damages You Can Seek After a Car Accident

A car accident can result in serious damages. If you are the victim of another driver’s negligence, you have the right to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. In addition to your doctor’s visits and emergency room fees, you may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and punitive damages.

When Do I Need to Get a Lawyer?

After a crash, it is common to feel overwhelmed. You might suffer from injuries, worry about going back to work, and feel anxious about medical expenses. Reaching out to an attorney can seem like one more task you would like to avoid.

An Auto Accident Attorney Can Help

If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you are not stuck with outrageous medical bills and expenses. Our auto accident attorneys will work toward a fair settlement that compensates for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Call us today for a free consultation so we can discuss your legal rights and options.

Car Accident Lawyer FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Calling 911 and getting prompt medical care for your injuries is the first order of business after a car crash. Once you are safe and secure, you should contact an auto accident lawyer right away. Time is of the essence in terms of collecting evidence, speaking to witnesses, and speaking to the insurance claims adjuster assigned to your case.

Do you need a lawyer for a car accident?

If the accident involved more than three parties, there is no doubt that you will need a car accident lawyer. This is mainly because it will complicate your insurance claim.

Can you get compensation for an accident?

Sometimes, compensation can be done at the point of the accident- if both parties agree who is at fault. However, in case there is a disagreement, then you will have to find a lawyer. He or she will help you settle the dispute and help you earn a decent amount as compensation.

It never hurts to ask

Simply put: in accidents involving big property damages and injuries, the legal and insurance systems are too complex for accident victims to navigate on their own. And usually, there is too much at stake to even try.

Those attorneys you see on billboards are spending millions on advertising and have monumental case quotas to fill, which leads to neglect of current clients

If any of the above criteria sound familiar, you should call an attorney. (I strongly suggest that you not call the number floating by you on a bus or a billboard. Those attorneys are spending millions on advertising and have monumental case quotas to fill, which leads to neglect of current clients. Read my blog about them here.

Are You Hurt?

If you’ve been hurt in a car or motorcycle accident, you need an attorney’s help. First of all, you have a big job ahead of you: healing.

Insurance company agents are trained to gain your trust so that you tell them things that they can use against you

Aside from helping you to focus on medical treatment and healing, a personal injury attorney can…

Calling a Lawyer: It Never Hurts to Ask

If you feel like you might want to hire an attorney but you’re still not sure, I suggest you call a few attorneys to talk to them about your case. Because personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee (meaning you pay nothing until your case is settled), you will owe nothing for these conversations.

How much money do you need to settle a lawsuit without counsel?

For example, if you're expecting a $100,000 settlement without the benefit of counsel, a lawyer would need to get you more than $150,000 to make it worth the bother. Believe it or not, most attorneys give honest opinions on whether or not it would be worth your while to hire an attorney or take any easy settlement.

Do you have to have counsel in small claims court?

You're certainly entitled to have counsel present to protect your rights in small claims court . The law firm, however, is likely going to expect a fee for their services rather than working on contingency, since the expected recovery would be very small. It depends on the situation.

Can you file a personal injury claim if you have no injuries?

Generally, if no people were hurt, or there was no damage ( no broken bones or potentially lingering injuries that cause you to miss more than a couple days of work), then it may not be worthwhile pursuing a personal injury claim. Just be careful making this judgment of “no injuries” yourself.

Do insurance companies do their jobs?

In a lot of instances, insurance companies do in fact do their jobs as expected. There are definitely situations where you'd want an attorney to be involved, but there are also times when obtaining counsel is simply overkill. Let's take a look at some of the cases where you may NOT need to hire an attorney after an accident.

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