Hiring an attorney is an essential step you must take when you encounter an accident wherein you or others in the vehicle get injured. While it is something you might want to do irrespective of the extent of injuries, you must know that when injured in a car accident, you are entitled to financial compensation. And when you work with a personal injury lawyer in Richmond, VA, the outcome of your case can be very different than a case made without a lawyer to help you out. Do you have questions, such as when to hire an attorney and how to go about it? Here’s a comprehensive article that covers all you need to know.
When Should You Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
When you’re in an accident, claims adjusters and personal injury lawyers initiate the process of claims immediately. The process may or may not be complex depending on every unique situation. For instance, if the liable party is insured, they may try to dodge or shift the blame in order to ensure they do not face any financial consequences of the accident and the injury or damage. Therefore, if you have been in an accident, the best course of action is to immediately get in touch with a personal injury lawyer, share the details of the accident, and clarify any legal questions that you may have. You might also want to simultaneously work with your insurance reps. Here’s when you should contact a personal injury lawyer based on the type of injury and the accident:
- Significant Damage to Your Car or Injuries
Whether you’ve been in a minor fender-bender or a major accident, contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer is crucial to protect your legal rights. Since an accident involving damage to the vehicle or injuries — major or minor — would set you back financially, being compensated for such losses would require you to make a strong case, which a professional lawyer can help you best with.
- The Other Party Was Cleary Liable
Yes, car accidents happen ever so quickly that making the judgement of whose fault it was can be tricky. However, when you’re completely sure that your loss of control over your vehicle was contributed by the other party, calling your personal injury attorney can make the whole legal process easier for you.
- You’ve Been Offered A Lowball Settlement
When you’re offered a settlement by the liable party’s insurance carrier, you must assess the settlement offered before signing. This would mean assessing if the settlement amount is justified for the damages your vehicle has incurred or you have suffered. However, many people find it challenging to understand if the offered settlement is worth settling for, especially after the daunting experience of being in a car accident. Therefore, working with a personal injury lawyer can help offer you the clarity you need. Once you get the settlement analyzed, you can negotiate and make a strong case for what you negotiate with the help of an attorney. This is all the more important because as you accept the settlement by signing, you will not have the chance to negotiate or ask for more money.
- Severe and Serious Injuries
If there is one situation when it comes to car accidents when hiring a personal injury attorney is non-negotiable, it is when you sustain injuries that are severe and have a permanent impact on your quality of life. Such injuries may require hopsitalization for lengthier periods, changes to be made in your residence, or injuries that challenge your ability to work. In such cases, the settlement that you receive must match the funds you spend on your hospitalization and how the accident impacts your earning capacity.
- The Accident Was Caused by a Governmental Agency
Recovering a fair settlement from a government entity can be more challenging and complex than other cases. This is one of the reasons why working with a lawyer and making all the decisions with the assistance of a lawyer plays an important role in helping you seek the right compensation based on the damages.
Working with professional personal injury attorneys like Blank and Marcus, LLC can completely change the course of the outcome of your legal battle in seeking fair compensation. From minor accidents to fatal ones that may result in the loss of life, legal support makes legal battles over settlements less overwhelming, complicated, and emotionally draining. Getting the right settlement requires building a strong case and having an in-depth knowledge of how maximum payouts are to be obtained. While being in an accident can be extremely stressful, the process of getting the right settlement amount does not have to be when you work with an experienced personal injury lawyer.