Navigating a personal injury claim in the wake of a car accident can be a challenge—complicated, time-consuming, and even nerve-racking. You may be wondering whether you should hire a lawyer or try to handle things on your own. The answer depends on a number of factors, so let's take an in-depth look at some of them.
Is Fault in Dispute?
When car accident fault is at issue, or when the facts surrounding the crash are complicated, you may need a lawyer’s help. Your car accident claim hinges in large part on your ability to prove that the other driver caused the crash. That means gathering the proper evidence and presenting it effectively to the other driver’s car insurance company. Fail to do this, and you run the risk of losing your case and recovering nothing, so it may make sense to turn the matter over to an experienced lawyer.
Similarly, when an accident involves pedestrians, multiple vehicles, or special types of vehicles (like delivery trucks or emergency vehicles), that usually results in complex legal issues, and/or the filing of multiple personal injury lawsuits. A lawyer is trained to sort through and navigate these issues -- that includes dealing with the other parties’ lawyers and their insurance companies -- but this level of complexity can be overwhelming to a novice (especially one who is invested in the outcome). With a lawyer’s help, you can maximize the damages you are owed and minimize the hassle.
What Damages or Injuries Were Sustained?
In general, if you weren’t hurt all that badly in the accident and your medical treatment was minimal, it may be fine to handle your claim on your own, as long as you're comfortable doing so.
But any car accident claim involving significant injuries should be turned over to an experienced lawyer. The damages you are due will include not just your medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle repair/replacement costs, but also (and often more importantly, at least from a financial perspective) compensation for your pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, and other negative effects of the accident and your resulting injuries. A lawyer is familiar with what it takes to advocate for this kind of compensation and come away with the best result.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Policy Limits
If you are trying to recover a large amount of out-of-pocket expenses stemming from the accident (maybe you paid your medical bills yourself, for example) you might be better off hiring an attorney, since you stand to lose a fair amount of money if you don’t get the right result.
If one or more of the parties involved in the car accident does not have car insurance—or isn’t carrying enough insurance to cover your losses—you will probably want to at least sit down with an attorney and discuss your legal options. In any kind of car accident case, an attorney has the resources and skills to unearth and understand the insurance coverage and policies that could come into play in an injury claim.
Ability to Negotiate and Navigate Claims
You may need to hire an attorney simply because you are uncomfortable representing yourself in what can be contentious negotiation sessions, or you aren’t all that confident navigating the ins and outs of the injury claim process.
Car accident attorneys are professionals with experience dealing with insurance companies, settling a personal injury claim for the best result, and taking a car accident case through the personal injury lawsuit process when a fair settlement doesn’t look like an option. Should your case go to court, an experienced car accident attorney will anticipate and handle every legal and procedural hurdle, will put together your strongest possible case—that includes preparing to go to trial if necessary—and will make sure your rights are protected every step of the way.
Once you determine that you may need an attorney, the next step is to make sure you find one that is a good fit for you and your case. Learn more about what to ask a prospective car accident attorney and how to work with a personal injury lawyer.