3 Signs You Need To Hire A Car Accident Lawyer
After a major car accident, it is common for accident victims to claim compensation or sue the at-fault party. In most cases, it is possible to file a car accident claim against the at-fault party without involving lawyers.
Nonetheless, some situations can arise that warrant the immediate hiring of a car accident lawyer. Hence, if you are wondering when it is paramount to hire a car accident lawyer, here are three signs that state it's time to lawyer up.
1. You Are at Fault for Causing an Accident
If the preliminary police investigation of the accident points to you as the at-fault party, hire a car accident lawyer.
A car accident lawyer can help you answer the questions the police have for you by ensuring you do not incriminate yourself. The lawyer can also assess the evidence against you and provide legal counsel with the situation if it goes to court.
For instance, if the victim(s) opt to sue you, your lawyer will help you determine whether to fight the case or take a plea. If the evidence against you is flimsy, your car accident lawyer may advise you to fight the case. Hence the lawyer will be your defense attorney in the civil lawsuit.
2. You Are Not in a Position to File an Insurance Claim
After a car accident, it is not uncommon for the injured person(s) to spend some time in the hospital while recovering from the sustained injuries. However, if you spend a long time in the hospital, you may miss the grace period allocated for filling car accident claims. Thus, you could miss out on compensation if you don't file your accident claim within the given period due to hospitalization.
As a result, if you are not in a position to handle the claim-filling process, you need to hire a car accident lawyer to file the claim on your behalf. Besides, a car accident lawyer will be instrumental in gathering the evidence required to support your claim.
3. An Insurance Company Is Not offering a Suitable Settlement
When settling an insurance claim, insurance adjusters always offer as little settlement money as possible. As a result, there is a bit of negotiation between you and the insurance adjuster regarding the final settlement amount.
Thus, if you are not an expert negotiator, the insurance adjuster will have the upper hand and refuse to offer a reasonable settlement. In such a scenario, you need to hire a car accident lawyer to negotiate the settlement on your behalf.
Car accident lawyers are accustomed to negotiating with insurance adjusters. Hence, your car accident lawyer will know how to leverage the evidence they gathered for your claim and negotiate a higher settlement for you.