When You Need Legal Help: Signs It’s Time to Hire a Lawyer
When someone is in an accident, they may be confused as to what steps to take next to get compensation for their injuries. This is often made more challenging because they are trying to recover from their injuries and get back to how life was before the accident. In these situations, it is a good idea to hire a lawyer for help. Some of the signs it might be time to hire a lawyer include the following.
Table of Contents
Extensive Damage or Injuries
If there is extensive property damage or someone is severely injured as a result of the accident, the victim may need a lawyer to help ensure they get a large enough settlement. The settlement should cover all expenses incurred by the victim of the accident. If it doesn’t, the victim will have to pay for their expenses out of pocket. To prevent this, the victim can start working with a lawyer right away and the lawyer will help negotiate a higher settlement.
Hard to Work With Insurance Company
It shouldn’t be hard to file a claim, but some insurance companies make it harder than others. If the insurance company is making it challenging to file a claim or tries to deny the claim, having a lawyer to step in will be incredibly beneficial. The lawyer can review the insurance policy and what happened to cause the accident to help the client get a better settlement offer.
Disputes Over Fault
A lot of evidence may be needed to determine fault after an accident. When there are disputes over fault, it is beneficial to have a lawyer who can help. They can collect and review evidence to use to determine fault and, if the case goes to court, can present the evidence in court to help their client get a better outcome. A lawyer may be needed to collect certain types of evidence, too, such as video surveillance from local stores.
Pressure to Accept a Settlement
Insurance companies may pressure the person to accept a settlement by telling them it needs to be accepted right away. The settlement is likely way too low and won’t cover all expenses from the accident. However, if the victim accepts the settlement, they likely can’t get any money later to cover the rest. It’s important for the person to speak with a lawyer before accepting the settlement, even under pressure, to avoid accepting something that is too low.
Unanswered Questions
Those who are trying to handle an accident and recover will have lots of questions. The insurance company may not be able to answer them or may have biased answers. Instead, when a person has questions, they can speak with a lawyer about the case and get accurate answers. This can help them make decisions moving forward to know what to expect to happen next in their case.
It’s not always easy to figure out what to do next after an accident or if it’s a good idea to hire a lawyer. Take the time to contact a lawyer to learn more about the help they can offer and to find out what they can do to help with your case. During the consultation, they’ll look over any information you provide and can give you information on what should happen next.