when in accident should i call lawyer or insurance

by Zola Doyle 5 min read

After an accident, most peoples’ inclination is to contact their insurance company to begin the claims process. But in cases where the driver is at fault and you’ve been hurt, you should contact a personal injury lawyer first. An insurance company’s first inclination is to settle with you at the lowest amount possible.

While you should contact your insurance company as well as your lawyer, your first call, after seeking medical attention, collecting the other driver's information, and taking photo evidence should be to your lawyer.

Full Answer

Should I Call my insurance company after a car accident?

Should I call my insurance company after an accident? Yes. Regardless of fault, it is important to call your insurance company and report any accident that involved injuries or property damage. A common myth is that you do not need to contact your insurance company if you were not at fault.

Should I call a lawyer after a car accident in Denver?

Very few people get into an accident and think, “YES! I get to call a Denver accident attorney !” In fact, most people I know don’t even consider calling a lawyer after a car or motorcycle accident because they think the entire issue can be handled through their insurance agent.

What do I do if I have a car accident?

Notify your insurance company. To have the benefit of any of these coverages on your policy, you are required to report the accident to your insurance company. You must do this within a reasonable amount of time.

Do I need a lawyer after a car or motorcycle accident?

In fact, most people I know don’t even consider calling a lawyer after a car or motorcycle accident because they think the entire issue can be handled through their insurance agent. And sometimes, they’re right.

What is the second coverage for a car?

What happens if my car sits too long?

Can insurance companies defend you?

Do you have to call your insurance company if you are not at fault?

See more

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What to say when you call your insurance after an accident?

What You Should Tell Your Insurance Company After An Accident"The accident was my fault." Never admit fault for the accident you were in. ... "I don't have any injuries." ... "I am making an official statement." ... "I guess..." or, "I think..." ... Other People Involved. ... Accepting a Settlement. ... "I don't have an attorney."

When should you admit a car accident?

Even if the accident does seem like your fault, never admit fault after you have been involved in a car accident. Admitting fault puts you at risk to not receive any compensation that you may have otherwise been entitled to.

Why should you not admit an accident?

Should you admit fault in a car accident, you may lose your right to collect compensation from the other driver for the losses you suffered in the accident. Even if you believe that you may be at fault, avoid admitting this to the other driver, the police officer on the scene, or the insurance companies.

Why do insurance companies tell you not to admit fault?

Insurance adjusters review a variety information—including statements drivers made to the police and each other. This is why it is important not to admit fault. Adjusters also review statements from eyewitnesses, the police report, and if a police officer wrote a citation for the crash.

DO I HAVE TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY AFTER AN ACCIDENT?

DO I HAVE TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY AFTER AN ACCIDENT? - Read the Automobile Accidents legal blogs that have been posted by Frederick Laurence Koberlein, Jr. on Lawyers.com

Should I talk to the other insurance company after an accident?

Getting into a car accident can be a scary experience — even if no one is seriously injured, it can leave you feeling shaken up. And then after the accident, you have to go through the hassle of filing a claim, either with your auto insurance or with the other driver’s.. After you’ve followed all the most important initial steps after an accident, you’ll start the claims process.

Calling Insurance After Accident: What You Need to Know

When calling insurance after an accident, make sure you have information about everything that occurred. Providing any many details as possible can help out.

At-Fault Driver Will Not Contact Insurance Company

It’s good to know that you need to cooperate with your insurance company to get the claim you are filing for. My sister was in a car accident the other day, and she wants to file a claim so that she can get money to fix her car.

What is the second coverage for a car?

The second coverage you may want to use is towing insurance . Again, this will pay the cost of your vehicle being towed, and then your insurance company will seek to be paid back by the other person’s insurance. Otherwise, you may have to pay the towing charge while you wait for the other person’s insurance to accept responsibility. Under both collision coverage and towing insurance , if your company is able to recover the money they paid from the at-fault driver’s company, then neither of these claims will affect your insurance rates.

What happens if my car sits too long?

If your car sits too long, the storage facility can seek to auction off your car to pay for the storage charges. [3] Medical expense or medical payments coverage is an optional coverage that your auto insurance company must offer to you, but you do not have to purchase. It’s excellent coverage to have.

Can insurance companies defend you?

Your insurance company can defend you. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, the other driver may claim that you are at fault and pursue a claim against you. Even if you know you are not at fault, you do not want to have to pay the cost of defending yourself. Under the terms of your insurance policy, your insurance company is required ...

Do you have to call your insurance company if you are not at fault?

Yes. Regardless of fault, it is important to call your insurance company and report any accident that involved injuries or property damage. A common myth is that you do not need to contact your insurance company if you were not at fault. This is false, because there are several coverages on your insurance policy that you may want to use.

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.

What is the number to call if you are injured in a car wreck?

You are welcome to call me, COMPLETELY free of charge, at 800-898-4877.

How does insurance work?

Remember how insurance works – insurance companies collect premiums from all their customers, and then they pay out some of that money in claims. The difference between the amount they take in in premiums and the amount they pay out in claims is their profit.

What happens when a car wreck comes out of nowhere?

It comes out of nowhere, and rocks your world (in a BAD way!) There are few things that will turn your life upside down as quickly and thoroughly as a car wreck. It is a complete invasion of your time and your life, and it happens in a second, without any warning.

Why Should You Call a Lawyer Before Talking to the Insurance Company?

It’s always advisable to talk to a car accident attorney before you speak to an insurance company. An attorney can help you understand your rights and avoid common pitfalls.

How Can a Lawyer Help You After a South Carolina Car Accident?

If you’ve never had to file an insurance claim after an accident, you might not know what is involved and what a lawyer can do to help. Here are some of the things the legal team at McKinney, Tucker & Lemel, LLC, can do to help with the claims process:

Contact Our South Carolina Accident Law Firm If You Have Recently Been Injured in a Car Accident

The South Carolina car accident attorneys at McKinney, Tucker & Lemel, LLC, are committed to protecting the rights of crash victims in Rock Hill and other nearby communities. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, get your free consultation today to answer your questions and discuss your legal rights.

What Should You Do After the Accident?

First things first. Don’t panic. The accident itself was terrifying and it’s understandable if you’re still shaken up. However, it’s important to stay alert. There are critical details that you want to make note of and steps that you should take.

What are the Benefits?

There are almost no drawbacks to calling a lawyer. The worst that could happen is the firm decides not to take your case. You’ve wasted a bit of time but your life won’t be severely impacted.

What to do when calling insurance after an accident?

When calling insurance after an accident, make sure you have information about everything that occurred. Providing any many details as possible can help when filing a claim. When calling insurance after an accident, make sure you have information about everything that occurred.

How to report an accident to police?

Calling the police is important, and some states require you to do so after an accident. The officers will complete an accident report and document the scene. If officers cannot get to the accident site, go to the nearest police station and file a report yourself. Exchange information.

Why do you need to contact your insurance company?

After you complete the steps above, reach out to your insurer no matter who is at fault. You might want to contact your agent while at the accident scene so you know what they need to process your claim correctly. Reasons you should contact your insurance company include: You might want to file a claim. If you experience accident-related injuries ...

What type of insurance doesn't require a contact with your insurer?

The only type of coverage that doesn't require contacting your insurer within a reasonable amount of time is uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. If the at-fault driver doesn't have insurance or enough coverage to pay for your loss, this coverage might kick in.

What happens if you are not at fault for an accident?

If you're not at fault for the accident and have standard liability insurance but not collision coverage, you should file a claim with the other driver's company. Liability coverage pays for damage and injuries an at-fault driver causes to property and people. If you're not at fault, you won't use liability coverage.

How much does insurance increase after an accident?

According to WalletHub, one at-fault claim can raise your premium on average by 40 percent. If your annual premium is approximately $1500, it would increase by about $600 after the accident. It would also take between three to five years for the rates to decrease. How much your rate increases depends on several factors, including: 1 The type of claim 2 The amount of money claimed 3 Your insurance company 4 Your claims history 5 Your location 6 If you have accident forgiveness

What information do you need to document an accident?

The Insurance Information Institute (III) recommends you obtain the individual's full name, contact information, insurance company and policy number, driver's license number, license plate number, vehicle description, and accident location. Document the accident. In addition to compiling information about the driver, document the accident.

1. When Should I Get An Attorney for a Car Accident?

When to Call a Lawyer · Minor collisions that result in significant vehicle or property damage · Any injuries to a passenger in your own vehicle or to yourself (1) …

2. When Should You Call a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

If you received treatment for injuries, you should contact an attorney as soon as you can. You should also call a lawyer if you are experiencing pain and think (4) …

5. Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Florida? –

Oct 15, 2020 — Even the most innocuous statement to the insurance companies may give them the reasons they need to deny any claim you may make. Your lawyer (14) …

8. How Long Do You Have to Get a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

Don’t waste time. Contact an attorney at The Law Place straight away. Each day that passes after your accident, while still inside the statute of limitations, (24) …

What is the second coverage for a car?

The second coverage you may want to use is towing insurance . Again, this will pay the cost of your vehicle being towed, and then your insurance company will seek to be paid back by the other person’s insurance. Otherwise, you may have to pay the towing charge while you wait for the other person’s insurance to accept responsibility. Under both collision coverage and towing insurance , if your company is able to recover the money they paid from the at-fault driver’s company, then neither of these claims will affect your insurance rates.

What happens if my car sits too long?

If your car sits too long, the storage facility can seek to auction off your car to pay for the storage charges. [3] Medical expense or medical payments coverage is an optional coverage that your auto insurance company must offer to you, but you do not have to purchase. It’s excellent coverage to have.

Can insurance companies defend you?

Your insurance company can defend you. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, the other driver may claim that you are at fault and pursue a claim against you. Even if you know you are not at fault, you do not want to have to pay the cost of defending yourself. Under the terms of your insurance policy, your insurance company is required ...

Do you have to call your insurance company if you are not at fault?

Yes. Regardless of fault, it is important to call your insurance company and report any accident that involved injuries or property damage. A common myth is that you do not need to contact your insurance company if you were not at fault. This is false, because there are several coverages on your insurance policy that you may want to use.

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