Should I Get a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident?
Getting in a car accident is not a lot of fun. You may feel a bit shaken up about what has happened and worried about your next steps. Sometimes, the accident is minor and you and the other driver can just exchange information and be on your way. But many car accidents are much worse and if you are not careful, they can end up causing a lot of damage and even injury to yourself and other car drivers. If you are in a minor car accident though, you may wonder whether you need to hire a lawyer to help you out during it.
For a minor car accident, you typically do not need a lawyer to get involved. It will depend on the damage and the amount of injury that either party receives. Exchanging information with the other driver, providing a statement and filing an accident report, and contacting your insurance provider about it will often be enough to handle the case. Moseley Collins (a car accident lawyer in Sacramento) advises, if things get out of hand or you struggle to work with the insurance company at-fault, then you may need a lawyer to help out.
Whether you need a lawyer for your minor car accident will depend on the situation and what happened during the accident. You may also find that you need the assistance of a lawyer after the accident if the insurance company, either your own or the other driver’s policy, refuses to pay for some of the medical bills and damage. Let’s take a closer look to see whether you need a lawyer here or not.
When Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
After a car crash, it is possible that you will need a lawyer. It will depend on how severe the crash was at the time though. A minor fender bender can often be handled between the two people and their insurance companies and the cost usually does not work to hire a lawyer to help out with that. But when you are in a major car accident and have big medical bills and a totaled car, or if you have a car accident and the insurance company refuses to pay for the damage even if the driver was at-fault, then you will run into some trouble.
In these cases, you need to hire a lawyer to help take it on. Most insurance companies have their own legal team ready to help them out if something goes wrong, so you need to have the same thing on your side. A lawyer will be able to manage the insurance company, take a look at the bills you have taken in, and look at the evidence to present a stronger case for you getting some of the help that you need.
In some cases, the lawyer will be able to work in mediation with the insurance company to get you more money. Other times, you may need to take it to trial. Worrying about both of these things when you are dealing with all of the other stuff that happened during the accident can be a lot. A professional lawyer on your side can make all the difference.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
There are a few steps that you need to take after a car accident to ensure that you are safe and that everything is handled properly. Some of these include:
- Make sure that you are okay. If you need medical assistance, then you will need to call for an ambulance and try not to move too much.
- Call 911 and talk to the officer who shows up to file an accident report.
- Talk to the other driver and exchange insurance and contact information.
- Provide a statement to the law enforcement officer for the report
- Do not leave the scene until it is cleared up. If you are in need of medical care, the medical team can take you earlier.
- Let your car insurance know about the accident and what happened so they can take the necessary steps.
- Talk to a lawyer if there is substantial damage and medical bills and you need help working with the insurance companies on the claim.
Choosing the Right Lawyer for Your Needs
If you do run into some trouble with getting your claim accepted after the car accident, or you are in a major car crash, then you need to look into whether an attorney is going to be the right option for you. They can fight against the insurance company and make sure that you will be able to get a fair settlement to help deal with the issue and keep you as safe as possible without all those bills mounting against you. Finding the right attorney will make all the different.
