Car accidents can be scary enough without considering what comes afterward: phone calls, insurance claims, and endless paperwork from doctors, mechanics and more. It can be overwhelming. Car insurance is meant to be an easy way to receive compensation when you’re in an accident without involving lawyers. But contacting a lawyer for advice may be the best thing you can do for any claims you make or any that are made against you.
As an experienced Richmond, VA car accident lawyer – including those who work at MartinWren, P.C. – can confirm, too many car accident victims assume that their insurance provider will “handle everything.” In reality, many accident victims have their insurance claims rejected or devalued. Others are shocked when individuals involved in the accident attempt to place blame for the crash in question on their shoulders. Speaking with an attorney can feel stressful – but, doing so may be the best thing you can do to protect your interests in the wake of a crash.
When the Accident Was (at Least Partially) Your Fault
You’ll want to have a lawyer on your side when your actions or inactions contributed to the cause(s) of a car accident. A car accident attorney will be experienced in dealing with insurance companies and responding to fault-based allegations. When the police show up at the scene of an accident, the responding officer will report who they believe was at fault. Your lawyer will work to establish a case in your favor by using expert witnesses to build the strongest arguments on your behalf. A lawyer may also be able to help you file a personal injury case if you were injured, especially if you were not totally to blame for the accident.
There are very few instances wherein you’ll want to handle a car accident claim without the guidance of a lawyer, namely minor accidents such as fender benders that do little damage to property and cause no injuries. Only then will you have so little to lose that investing in a lawyer’s counsel may not be worth your effort.
When the Accident Was Not Your Fault
Minor accidents happen to most people and the at-fault party’s insurance typically settles out of court to pay for damages. If you walk away from the accident unscathed, the only compensation would be for property damage to your car. If you bring the other driver or their insurance company to court and increase the settlement amount, you could be paying thousands of dollars in attorney fees and lose a lot of the money meant to go towards repairing or replacing your vehicle. Pursue free consultations if they’re available, but hiring a lawyer might not be necessary.
But not all cases can be so easily wrapped up. An experienced lawyer may be needed in cases where anyone was injured due to the accident or if there is a dispute over who is at fault.
Thankfully, you don’t need to make the decision to hire a lawyer alone. Most law firms will be truthful about whether hiring an attorney would be of value to you. Contact your local car accident lawyer today and ask whether they can help you to secure any and all compensation to which you may be entitled.