When Should You Hire A Car Accident Personal Injury Attorney
Having the right car accident personal injury attorney can make a big difference. Insurance companies have a team of lawyers on retainer to minimize your claim.
Therefore, it is essential to level the playing field from the start by hiring a lawyer. Although some accidents may be nobody’s fault, you shouldn’t have to suffer if it was due to negligence of the other party.
New Jersey Personal injury laws allow victims of such accidents to get compensation. This article looks at the situation when you should hire a car accident personal injury attorney.
1. You Suffered Serious Injury
Car accidents can leave you with lifelong complications. Such injuries translate into ongoing medical bills for medications and therapy. Additionally, the injuries may make it impossible to keep working. Suing for personal injury may not make you whole but it will make it easier to adjust to your new reality.
Attorneys and insurance adjusters will always try to downplay your injuries. A car accident personal injury attorney will make sure that you get adequately compensated. A car crash attorney will also anticipate tricks from insurers. A typical example is claiming contributory negligence or pre-existing injuries.
An experienced car accident personal injury attorney will know how to defend against unfounded claims. They will ensure you get compensated for medical expenses, emotional damage, and any lost income. In addition, should a loved one lose their life due to the injuries, they can sue for wrongful death.
2. The Insurance Company is in a Rush to Settle
The vast majority of personal injury cases never get to trial. Usually, they reach out to the injured person immediately after the injury. It is uncommon for them to downplay your injuries in a bid to get you to settle for less. You must hire a car accident personal injury attorney before you sign anything.
The minute you sign or admit to anything, you potentially forfeit your rights to a higher settlement. The trouble with agreeing to an offer is that you have no way of knowing if it’s the right amount. The other issue is that you may not know the extent of your injuries at the time. The money on offer may seem a lot at first. However, you may have to spend most of it covering for recurrent injuries.
Car crash injury lawyers have in-depth knowledge of how settlements are calculated. Generally, the amount of compensation depends on injuries, property damage, and the amount of evidence. Speak to a car accident personal injury attorney about the particulars of your case before settling.
3. Hire a Car Crash Attorney When The Insurer is Refusing to Pay
Not all personal injury claims are successful. Sometimes insurers deny claims if they think the case is shaky. You need an experienced car accident personal injury attorney to get them to rethink their decision. Insurers deny claims when they have gathered evidence against your case. Usually, the insurance companies rush to settle when they know the evidence is overwhelming.
The sad reality is that even valid claims sometimes get denied. A mistake at any stage of the process could harm the strength of your case. A misplaced medical record or delayed paperwork could derail your case. A car accident personal injury attorney can help you to avoid these pitfalls. The common defenses insurance companies use include
- Incomplete or incorrect claim
- Delayed treatment aggravating the injury
- Lack of medical records
- Exclusion from coverage
Having a car crash injury lawyer from the beginning can prevent costly mistakes. With everything done to the book, it makes it much harder for insurers to deny your claim. You are more likely to get a better settlement if your car accident personal injury attorney understands the process. Choose a lawyer with experience and the proper credentials.
4. You are Uncomfortable with the Settlement Process
A car accident can bring your life to a screeching halt. In addition to the pain, the injured person is left with medical bills, anxiety, and disruption. Unfortunately, this is also the time you are supposed to file your injury claim. A car accident personal injury attorney can take some of the stress off your plate.
Like in most states, there is a statute of limitation for filing auto accidents claims. For example, in New Jersey, injured people have two years to file a claim. However, car crash attorneys prefer filing your claim as soon as possible while the details are fresh. But filing is only the first step. They is still a lot that could go wrong.
The law requires that the party at fault report the accident to their insurer immediately. Following the report, the insurance company will begin its investigations. While they do their inquiry, your car accident personal injury attorney should also be doing their investigation. The idea is to gather enough evidence should the case go to trial.
5. The Insurance Company is Disputing Liability
The fault doesn’t always translate to liability in a car accident. The goal of any insurance company is to spend as little as possible to settle the claim. One way of doing that is by disputing liability for the accident. As unfair as this seems, the car crash attorney must provide proof for your version of events. Hiring a car accident personal injury attorney can help strengthen your case.
Proving fault after an accident is never straightforward. Your car accident personal injury attorney would have an easier task if you got witnesses. One way to ensure you get to a good start is by getting witnesses at the scene. Ask for their contacts so that they can collaborate your version of events. Unfortunately, you may not be in a position to do anything after the accident.
Luckily, the police will arrive at the scene of severe collisions. Request the police report in writing just in case. The next thing you should do is get checked out even if you feel fine. Some injuries take time to manifest. The doctor’s report also validates your claim. If you are still hospitalized, your car accident personal injury attorney should make sure everything is in order.
6. The Party at Fault Has No Insurance
Insurance of vehicles is compulsory in all states. Unfortunately, car accident personal injury attorneys have limited coverage options against uninsured motorists in NJ. Insurance companies are only liable if the car had valid coverage at the time of the accident. Unfortunately, some car owners wait till their policy has expired before they extend or renew it. In such a situation, your insurer is supposed to compensate you for your injuries.
Compensation of such injuries are covered under Uninsured Motorist (UIM). In most states, the law insists that your insurer include this in your coverage. It prevents a situation where an injured person has nowhere to turn for compensation. Unfortunately, UIM doesn’t cover property damage. Therefore, your car accident personal injury attorney can only help you to get compensation for your injuries. You will have to buy an add-on coverage to include property damage.
Most insurers have strict rules on UIM. The time limit for filing such claims is also significantly shorter. You usually have about 30 days from the day of the accident. Getting a car accident personal injury attorney from the onset ensures that all angles are covered.
Looking for a Car Crash Injury Lawyer?
Finding a car accident personal injury attorney that ticks all the boxes can be challenging. Fortunately for New Jersey residents, Lord, Kobrin, Alvarez, and Fattel LLC is here to fight for you. Led by Robert Lord, the team has more than 30 years of experience under their belt. In that time, we have secured $300 million in settlements. So contact us and see why we are the car accident personal injury attorneys in New Jersey.