After a car accident, you will have to get your car repaired at a body shop, but you may also need to see a doctor, and you may have to miss work while you recover from your injuries. This could mean thousands of dollars in lost income.
There’s often the question of whether you need to hire an attorney after an accident. It is normally true there may be more hassle involved when an attorney is involved, but there are many scenarios where hiring an attorney is the best choice for settling your claim. Here are four accident scenarios where you should consider hiring an attorney after an accident:
- You Are Seriously Injured
Some serious injuries are not obvious right away. Some brain injuries may not be obvious for days or weeks. Symptoms of whiplash don’t appear until a later date.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may lead to a lifetime of disability and serious pain where you may never recover. Medical misdiagnosis is common and a victim might not get the correct diagnosis. You may go to the doctor and not realize you have other injuries that do not appear for weeks after the accident.
- There Are More Than Two Parties Involved
Claims adjusters know that accidents involving more than two vehicles are much more complicated to resolve. None of the insurance companies involved want to accept liability in the accident, so it is not easy to get reimbursed for your damages or injuries after the accident.
Hiring an experienced attorney who can represent your rights is important in these scenarios because they have the knowledge to know how to fight for you in complicated accident scenes. A personal injury attorney will be able to advise you of whether you need to take any responsibility for the accident based on the facts of the case. This protects you and your insurance company from having to pay out a claim because you made a statement that does not represent your best interests.
- The Insurance Company Delays or Denies the Claim
The insurance companies design their policies to protect their own financial future as much as possible. Their goal is to try to save as much money as possible. The insurance lobbyists working with Congress and the Senate are among the largest group in their industry. Their goal is to drag their feet when they can because they hope to pay out less money for insured drivers who don’t have the luxury of waiting for a long time for a payout. Many crash accident victims accept less money than they should, and a good attorney knows when you should hold out for a better offer.
- Fault Is Not Clear
In some cases, the liability of who should be blamed for the accident is just not clear. This is often the case in multiple vehicle accidents and in accidents where there are disputes about who had the green light.
If it is found you were partially responsible for an accident in Virginia, you may have to go through your own insurance coverage to pay for the damages for your car.
If you have been involved in an accident, these are just some of the scenarios where you may need an attorney. We always recommend you at least talk to an attorney. At Epperly & Follis we offer free consultations and will listen to your case and give you an honest opinion whether we feel we can help you, whether we think we can win your case or whether or not we feel you can handle you case on your own. We say, “You don’t always need an attorney but you should always talk to one.”
If you feel you may need to hire an attorney after an accident, contact Craig Follis at Epperly & Follis, P.C. today to get representation for your injury claim.