If you’ve been injured in a traffic accident, you may be wondering if you need the help of a personal injury lawyer in San Diego. No matter what the TV ads say, hiring an attorney isn’t always necessary when you’ve been involved in an accident, but it is important to know when you should take this step as a delay in many instance can mean the difference between receiving compensation for your accident injuries and not. Here is some information to help you come to an educated decision:
When You Probably Don’t Need a Lawyer
If the accident case is simple and clear-cut, you probably don’t need a lawyer. Here are a few standards you can use to make this determination:
- It’s clear that the other driver is at fault for the accident, and they admit it.
- You only have minor injuries with very low expenses.
- There are no odd circumstances such as complicated accident scenes, uncertain coverage or pre-existing damage.
Remember that you can change your mind and hire an accident attorney at any time if the situation changes as long as the statute of limitations hasn’t kicked in.
When You Should At Least Consult with a Attorney
Let’s look at a few points where things could get sticky. If any of the following are true, you should at least seek the advice of an experienced car accident lawyer:
- It’s not clear who is at fault or there is shared liability.
- You don’t know what your damages are.
- A claims adjuster asks for past medical records.
- You think your accident damages exceed the insurance company’s settlement offer.
- You don’t think you have the ability to negotiate your own settlement.
- It’s hard to prove your lost wages. This is common if you’re self-employed, a consultant or a sales person.
When You Definitely Need Legal Representation
In certain cases, you shouldn’t even think twice before hiring legal representation in San Diego if you’ve been involved in an auto accident. Here are a few examples:
- Special circumstances make your claim worth more, but you aren’t sure how to prove your case.
- Your car accident claim has been denied, and the insurance company won’t reconsider based on your input.
- You have suffered a severe injury from the accident, and your medical bills are significant.
- You have incurred a severe injury or disability that will require ongoing treatment.
- The injured person is a minor with moderate to severe injuries.
- The other party is claiming they aren’t liable, but you believe they are at fault either completely or partially.
- After a year, you’re still not close to a settlement, and you’re not aware of the statute of limitations for your state.
- The details of the accident are complicated and could require professional investigation.
- You have been served with a lawsuit by the other party in the accident.
No matter where your case falls in this list, give SanDiegoPersonalInjuryAttorneys.com a call. Your first consultation regarding your accident with one of our San Diego personal injury attorney is free, and we’ll give you our honest and true opinion about your case.
Call us today:
619-752-2217