If you’re wondering, “Should I get a lawyer for a car accident?” then the answer is yes, you should hire a lawyer after a car crash if:
- You have injuries
- There are disputes over fault
- Multiple parties are involved
- An underinsured/uninsured driver is involved
- The situation is complex
It may not be necessary to hire a lawyer for a minor accident with no injuries and minimal damage.
However, lawyers can still be helpful when insurance companies aren’t cooperative or when you want to make sure your compensation is maximized.
Lawyers will guide you through the legal process and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Call our car accident lawyers today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident. We can help you recover financial compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Wrongful death
Injury victims choose Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers to handle their car accident claims because:
- Our experienced personal injury attorneys have been successfully handling car accident cases since 1990.
- We have recovered more than $750,000,000 on behalf of our clients.
- Our team won’t charge you any fee to handle your personal injury claim until we recover compensation for you. Our only fee is a percentage of any money we recover on your behalf.
- We can get you to doctors who will treat your injuries without charging you until your case is over.
- Our team has the expertise and resources to take on the at-fault driver’s insurance company and force them to pay you the most money possible.
- Our experienced car accident lawyers provide communication you can rely on and are available 24/7.
When You Should Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
If You’re Injured
The most important reason to hire a lawyer after an auto accident is if you have been injured.
- It’s a good idea to contact a lawyer if you needed emergency care or suffered visible injuries.
- Even injuries which appear minor, such as whiplash, can end up causing long-term effects and leading to significant medical expenses, pain, suffering and lost wages. If you have a good lawyer, this can lead to sizable settlements.
- It is common for the other driver’s insurance company to offer too small of a settlement before the complete impact of your injuries is clear.
- It is particularly important to hire a lawyer if a serious injury or fatality occurred. This includes severe injuries like long-term disabilities, head trauma or broken bones which lead to significant lost wages and medical bills.
- Injuries which seem minor at first can sometimes later become more significant. A lawyer can make sure you recover compensation for any long-term issues.
When Fault Is Unclear, Multiple Drivers Are Involved or the Situation Is Complicated
It’s very important to hire a lawyer when multiple drivers are involved or fault is unclear.
- If the insurance company for the other driver blames you or denies fault, an attorney can collect evidence like photos, witness statements and police reports in order to prove liability as well as protect you from unfair claims that you are at fault.
- Accidents with rideshare services, commercial trucks or multiple vehicles can be legally complicated and might require an attorney to deal with numerous insurance policies and identify every potentially liable party.
- Accidents involving government entities can also be quite legally complex, and have very strict filing deadlines which a lawyer can help with.
- Each insurer may point the finger at a different party. A lawyer can be important to strengthen your case and ensure you can prove you aren’t at fault.
When Your Car Is Severely Damaged or Totaled
It may be a good idea to hire a lawyer if there is a high cost of property damage and you’re facing costs which are unexpected.
- It’s time to call a lawyer if your vehicle has been totaled or requires extensive repairs. If your car is totaled, it’s important you’re compensated accordingly.
- If the other driver’s insurer is offering less than your car is worth, it’s important to have a lawyer who can help you negotiate against lowball offers.
When Your Insurer Won’t Accept Liability Or Denies Your Claim
Much of what car accident lawyers do is dealing with insurance companies.
Consider hiring an attorney if an insurance company:
- Is denying your claim
- Won’t accept liability
- Is being unresponsive
- Is offering a low-ball settlement
- Is pressuring you into prematurely signing a release
Insurance companies aren’t on your side. They want to pay you as little as possible. A lawyer can negotiate with insurers for you and make sure you don’t accept a lowball offer.
In fact, it’s ideal to talk to a lawyer prior to talking to any insurers.
The Other Driver Was Uninsured or Underinsured
- A personal injury lawyer can help you to navigate your policy with your own insurance company.
- A lawyer can also file a personal injury lawsuit against an at-fault driver should your insurance be insufficient.
- About 15 percent of drivers are uninsured, according to Insurance Information Institute.
- It can be complicated to recover compensation in these circumstances. A lawyer can help walk you through this process and get you compensated.
You Want to Maximize Compensation
An attorney can help you recover fair compensation, meaning all of the damages you’re entitled to. This includes:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical needs
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
Lawyers can also help you identify every possible source of compensation.
You Need Help with the Legal Process
- You may wish to hire an attorney after a car accident since an attorney can handle all needed paperwork, filing and evidence gathering, ensuring you meet every legal deadline.
- If you’re not sure what you should do next, or if you’re getting confused by the claims process, an attorney can guide you and handle everything for you.
- Lawyers can handle the stress of having to deal with legal procedures, paperwork and insurance companies. This allows you to focus on recovering from your injuries. Many lawyers offer free initial consultations.
You Lost a Loved One in a Car Accident
A wrongful death claim might be necessary if the crash led to a fatality.
- If a loved one of yours died in a car accident, it’s important to file a wrongful death claim.
- Losing a loved one is hard enough without having to deal with financial difficulties. Lawyers can help take care of the legal process for you during this difficult time period.
When You May Not Need a Car Accident Attorney
Legal representation may not be necessary if the accident was very minor with no injuries and only minor property damage.
These cases can often be easily settled with the other party’s auto insurance company for an amount that is reasonable.
Benefits of Hiring a Qualified Car Accident Lawyer
The benefits of hiring a lawyer to handle your car accident lawsuit or insurance claim include:
- They can investigate your accident, collecting evidence such as black box data, witness statements, accident reconstruction data and police reports.
- They can perform negotiations with insurers for you to protect you from unfair tactics and make sure you receive fair financial compensation which reflects the full extent of the insurance coverage.
- Lawyers can handle all communications with insurers for you. This is vital since insurance companies can use anything you say against you.
- They can handle all legal paperwork and navigate complicated insurance and legal procedures.
- They can file any needed lawsuits and meet any strict deadlines, such as the two-year statute of limitations in California.
- They can calculate your damages, helping you understand your claim’s full value.
- If a fair car accident settlement can’t be reached, they can represent you in court.
- They can make sure all necessary steps get taken, especially when having to deal with medical bills or liens. They can negotiate with medical providers and health insurers who might try to collect funds from your settlement.
- If you lack health insurance, an attorney can help connect you with healthcare providers who can treat you and wait to get paid until your case gets settled.
- Most car accident lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t ever owe them a single penny out of your own pocket. In addition, research shows that injury victims who hire lawyers end up recovering more money than those who don’t, even after contingency fees are taken into account.
How Much Compensation Do You Get from a Car Crash?
Compensation from motor vehicle accidents greatly varies depending upon:
- If you suffered significant injuries
- Who was at fault
- Property damage
There isn’t a single average amount. A fair settlement may range from just a few thousand dollars for a minor incident to hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions of dollars, for wrongful death or severe injury cases.
Compensation can help cover medical bills, property damage, pain, suffering and lost wages.
| Injury Type | Usual Settlement Range |
|---|---|
| Minor injuries (e.g., minor whiplash, sprains) | $5,000 – $25,000 |
| Moderate injuries (e.g., concussions, broken bones) | $30,000 – $85,000 |
| Severe/catastrophic injuries (e.g., spinal cord injuries, brain injuries) | $250,000 – $3,000,000+ |
| Property damage only | $3,000 – $15,000 |
Factors Which Influence Settlements
- Injury severity: Minor injuries can lead to smaller settlements. Permanent or severe injuries such as herniated discs, traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord damage may lead to much larger payouts.
- Fault: Your compensation can be reduced by the percentage of fault which is assigned to you. In states that have comparative negligence, like California, you may still receive a payout even when you’re partially at fault. The amount gets reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you, though. An experienced law firm can help reduce or eliminate any percentage of fault assigned to you.
- Property damage: Property damage includes the cost to replace or repair your vehicle as well as any other property which has been damaged.
- Medical costs: All future medical expenses such as rehabilitation, as well as all current medical bills (hospitalization, emergency care, etc.) can be claimed.
- Lost wages: Compensation may include future lost earning capacity and past lost income if you’re not able to work.
- Pain and suffering: This covers physical pain, lost quality of life and emotional distress caused by your accident.
- Wrongful death: If you lost a loved one in an accident, you may be able to recover compensation for things like funeral costs, burial costs, the medical bills your loved one incurred prior to passing, the pain and suffering your loved one endured prior to passing, and the loss of your loved one’s income, love, companionship, spousal benefits and household services.
- Insurance policy limits: How much compensation you qualify for is often limited by the policy limits of the other driver’s insurance.
- Evidence and documentation: It’s crucial to have strong documentation, like medical records and proof of all lost income, to receive fair compensation.
How Pain and Suffering Compensation Is Calculated
There are two common ways that compensation for pain and suffering is calculated.
- Multiplier method: The multiplier method involves multiplying the total economic damages (medical expenses and lost wages) by a number, usually between 1.5 and 5, based upon injury severity. This number then gets added to your economic damages to determine the value of the settlement.
- Per diem method: A daily amount of dollars gets assigned for pain and suffering. It is then multiplied by the number of days it takes you to recover.
How to Recover a Larger Settlement
- Collect strong evidence to prove your injuries’ extent and how your life has been affected by them.
- Keep detailed records of all medical expenses and appointments.
- Be prepared for negotiations with insurers.
- Hire experienced legal counsel to handle your case and negotiate with insurance adjusters for you. Studies show that injury victims recover more money from insurers when they hire lawyers than when they don’t, even after attorney fees are taken into account.
Your Timeline to File a Claim
There is a time limit to file a car accident injury claim.
- The time limit to file a car accident injury claim is called a statute of limitations.
- The time limit varies depending upon the state the accident happened in.
- The personal injury statute of limitations in California is usually two years from the date of the accident.
- There are exceptions to this time limit, some of which shorten it and others which lengthen it.
- For example, the time limit is a mere six months from the date of the accident when a government agency is involved.
- It’s best to act early to strengthen your case and maximize your compensation.
How Long After a Car Accident Should I Get a Lawyer?
Even though the statute of limitations may be multiple years after the date of the accident, car accident victims should call a lawyer as soon as possible after their accident.
It’s important to call a lawyer right away to:
- Avoid damaging your claim: Don’t talk with an insurance company, especially the at-fault driver’s insurer, before speaking to an attorney first. Insurance companies may pressure you into accepting a quick, small settlement before you fully understand the extent of your damages and injuries.
- Preserve your rights: Hiring an attorney early helps to make sure all evidence is properly preserved and collected. A lawyer can speak to any witnesses before their memories fade. Key evidence like vehicle conditions or skid marks can quickly change. Hiring a lawyer early also helps make sure your case gets filed in time.
- Protect your legal rights: Hiring a lawyer early can help prevent you from accidentally saying things to insurance companies which they can use against you.
- Focus on recovery: An attorney can handle all communications with insurers and take on your legal burden so you can simply focus on recovering from your car accident injuries.
- Obtain medical treatment as soon as possible: If you can’t afford treatment, a lawyer can get you to doctors who won’t charge you until the end of your case. It’s vital to get treated as soon as possible because a delay in treatment can lead to an insurance company claiming that something other than your accident caused your injuries.
How to Get Started
- Our car accident attorneys offer free initial consultations to talk about your case.
- Be prepared to provide our lawyers with any documents you may have, like medical bills, photos and the police report.
Contact Our Attorneys Today for a Free Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident due to the negligent driving of someone else, you shouldn’t be stuck with the related bills.
Our lawyers won’t let insurance companies shortchange you. We’ll make sure you’re paid every penny you’re eligible for by the insurance companies.
Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a car accident.
Reasons to Hire Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers
- We have a proven track record of success, having recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients since 1990.
- Our team charges zero upfront fees and zero out-of-pocket fees.
- We get clients who can’t afford medical treatment to doctors who won’t charge them until their cases end.
- Our legal team provides reliable communication and 24/7 availability.
- We possess extensive resources, such as access to a network of the finest accident reconstruction experts in California, which help us recover the most money possible for our clients.
