When Should an Accident Victim Contact a Lawyer?

If you or your loved one has been in an accident, you’re understandably shaken up, hurt, confused and overwhelmed. You may be feeling vulnerable, too, wondering whether the accident warrants a call to a personal injury attorney or whether you should just let the insurance companies battle it out. This on-the-fence reflex is common in many victims of motor vehicle and other types of accidents. This tendency stems largely from a knee-jerk reaction to trust insurance companies and hope for a payout that will cover the damage to your car, your time off work and your medical bills.

Reality check: insurance companies do NOT have your best interests at heart and are in fact working against you from the moment the accident occurs. They don’t want to pay out large settlements. They don’t want to admit fault. They don’t want to set a precedent for paying out large sums to claimants or anyone else. What they DO want is to keep their costs low and move on, and they will achieve that by undermining you at every step.

So, when should you contact a lawyer after your accident? The answer is as soon as possible. Don’t be swayed by the allure of the insurance company to cover your damages. You may be able to get your immediate vehicle damages covered – just barely – but there’s so much more to think about, from time off work to medical bills. Who will pay for that? Without representation, you’ll be left holding the bag with no legal recourse to get that money you need to support your family.

The Problem with Waiting

The longer you wait to contact a personal injury attorney after your accident, the weaker your case against the other party may become. Crucial evidence can be lost, memories can fade, and people have a way of disappearing after accidents like these, especially when they know they’re at fault.

An immediate discussion with an attorney may alert you to things you didn’t know you needed to take care of, such as visiting the doctor right way to get a full exam and photos of your injuries. Your attorney can also advise you of what NOT to say in public, to the press, on social media, or even to your friends and family. It’s wise to refrain from speaking about your case to anyone until it is resolved – with the exception being your lawyer and your doctor.

Also, the longer you wait to treat your injuries – even the smallest of them – without documentation means you are losing crucial evidence in your case.

Benefits of Contacting an Personal Injury Attorney ASAP

Contacting a lawyer within 24 hours of your accident can provide untold benefits to your case, and drastically increase your chances of winning a settlement. Your attorney can send out expert accident-scene investigators to conduct their own independent analysis of the accident scene, gathering crucial evidence that can exonerate you later and support your case. Translation: you could get more money to pay for your recovery, missed wages, and pain and suffering.

Additionally, if your injuries stemming from the accident require specialized treatment or diagnosis, you can get access to a team of neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and other specialists who can analyze your injuries. For example, if manufacturer defects caused your injuries, such as with the motor vehicle in question, your attorney can call in expert engineers, mechanics, and other experts to study the evidence in your case.

This can’t happen if you wait days, weeks or months to call an attorney.

When to Call an Accident Attorney

Even the smallest of fender benders can have lasting consequences, but there are some cases in which it’s clear beyond a doubt you should contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. Do so when you experience the following:

• Serious or permanent injury has occurred, i.e., broken bones, paralysis
• Death of a loved one or wrongful death
• Fault is an issue
• Police report is inaccurate and casts you in a negative light
• Complex medical, technical or legal issues are involved
• Low liability insurance limits
• You have no insurance
• Your insurance company involves its own lawyer in your case

This isn’t an exhaustive list. There are many nuances involved that could be devastating to your case upon failure to contact a qualified, aggressive attorney right away.

The Power Legal Group is your port in the storm. Your first consultation is FREE and we work on contingency. Taking that next step is easy with our team. We see your type of accident every single day and know how to obtain the compensation you deserve. Waiting won’t help. Call us now at 800-323-POWER.