If you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident, whether you were a driver, a passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian, you may be wondering whether you need a lawyer. In many cases, the answer is actually “No.”
It may simply not be worth it to file a claim. Or, if your case is very limited and simple, and you believe you have the ability to understand the process, you might choose to research and file your claim yourself.
However, at other times, you will definitely benefit from the expertise a law office can offer.
You may want to consider hiring a lawyer if:
- Fault is being contested: If it’s not clear who caused the accident, or if the insurance companies involved are disputing this, you probably need a lawyer on your side. Don’t forget—car insurance companies are NOT in your corner. They will use all their power and expertise against you.
- Your injuries are severe or may be long-term: If your doctors suggest that the impact of your injuries will be significant, causing you months of pain or impacting you for the long term, you want to consider hiring a lawyer.
- The cost of treating your injuries amounts to thousands of dollars: It may not be worth it to pursue a case where your damages are very small. But if costs mount higher, you probably will want to recover them.
- You have missed a significant amount of work, lost wages, or lost your job due to your injury: If you’ve had to miss a lot of time at work, give up wages, or even give up or change your job, this is serious financial impact. You are likely to need a lawyer.
Unfortunately, people are injured in car accidents every day. However, not all car accidents resulting in injury automatically require a lawyer’s services. If, after reviewing this information, you believe you could benefit from a lawyer’s services, contact us online or call (352) 376-1200.