Serious Injury Car Accidents: Is It Too Late to Hire a Lawyer?
After a serious car accident, you probably don’t have serious injury lawyers on your mind. You are thinking about how to fix your vehicle and treat your injuries. However, the sooner you start thinking about hiring a lawyer, the better off you will be.
Is it ever too late to hire a lawyer? If you were the victim of a car accident, you should start looking for a lawyer right away. Here’s why.
Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Cases
The first thing that you need to understand before filing a personal injury claim is your state’s statute of limitations. Every state has a certain time period during which you can file a claim. Once that period is up, you will no longer be able to seek legal action.
Even if it’s been a while since your accident, you can still seek legal help. Some states allow you to file legal claims up to 4 years following the accident; make sure you read up on your state’s laws prior to finding a lawyer.
Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Hire a Lawyer
It’s tempting to just take time for yourself following a serious accident before searching for a serious injury lawyer. After all, you’ve taken on serious injuries; there’s no harm in allowing yourself to heal before you take legal action, right?
Unfortunately, waiting to hire legal help following an accident could harm your case. It may signal to those who view your case that your accident wasn’t serious enough to warrant action. Therefore, you don’t really need to be compensated for the accident.
The longer you wait, the fewer details may stick in your mind. You want to present as much evidence to support your claim as possible. Even after just a few days, your memory of the event may start to fade.
You should start searching for a serious injury attorney as soon as possible following your accident to give your legal claim the best chance possible in court. If you are not up to the task yourself, ask your friends or family to help you hire a lawyer.
When Is It Necessary to Report an Accident?
There are some accidents that you are required by law to report. These include:
- Accidents where one or more parties are injured
- Fatal accidents
- Accidents involving a commercial vehicle
- Accidents involving a truck of any kind
- Accidents where one or more drivers were drunk or impaired
- Accidents involving over $500 worth of property damage
If you are in a car accident that meets one or more of the above criteria, you are required by law to report it to both the police and any involved insurance companies. In doing so, you will want to have a lawyer on your side to assist with communication. While you will need to contact law enforcement and insurance companies from the scene, an attorney can help with follow-up interactions with any necessary groups.
When Should I Contact My Insurance?
No matter how minuscule your injuries seem, you should contact your insurance company immediately following the accident. You will want to report as much information about the auto accident as possible. You should also report any damage to your vehicle.
Take pictures of the scene, your car, and any injuries sustained to share with your insurance company. This evidence can be used to support any claims you file in court later.
Each state leaves a certain amount of time for you to contact your insurance company following an accident. While most states have a 2-week period of time that you can contact your insurance companies, some states require you to contact your auto insurance within a week following the accident. It’s best to contact your insurance company as soon as possible to avoid potential issues.
Why You Should Hire a Lawyer
You may consider taking on your case by yourself rather than hiring a lawyer. After all, if you’ve sustained obvious injuries following an accident, what is there to prove in court?
You may have a harder time receiving compensation if you file your claim by yourself. An auto accident attorney can help you compile evidence to show in court. They are fully aware of all the types of evidence that can help you win your case.
A personal injury lawyer can also help get you the best deal possible out of your claim. They know what you are worth and can get you the compensation that you are owed.
Finally, having a serious injury attorney on your side can take the weight of the case off your mind. Your lawyer can work on filing your claim while you take the time to rest and recover. The sooner you have help on your side, the sooner you can start the healing process.
Don’t leave your case to chance by handling things on your own. Start searching for a serious injury lawyer as soon as you can following a car accident.
Get Help Sooner Rather Than Later
The best thing you can do for yourself is to hire a lawyer as soon as you can following a serious car accident. Even if your injuries don’t seem that bad, an attorney will still benefit you in the long run. Remember, even if you do wait a bit before you start searching for a lawyer, having an attorney on hand can still help you with your case!
Are you searching for an accident attorney to help you file your serious accident claim?
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