According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than 42 million visits to the emergency room each year and almost 84 million visits to doctors due to injuries. If you were in a crash and you sustained an injury that warranted a visit to the doctor, you may want to consider hiring an attorney.
Have you been in a car accident and you weren’t at fault? These six signs may indicate that a lawyer is necessary.
Serious Injury
If your injury is serious enough that you are unable to work, hiring an attorney may be critical. The insurance company will more than likely base your compensation on how serious your injuries are, which means they may try to make it appear that your injuries are not serious. An attorney will fight for your rights under the law to get you the compensation that your injuries warrant.
Permanent Injury
A permanent or disabling injury is definitely one that requires a personal injury attorney. If you are disabled or you have other long-term healthcare requirements, compensation may include lost future wages, future medical care, and loss of companionship. Getting that type of compensation can be complicated, which is why you need to talk to an attorney about your injuries.
Manufacturing Defect
Cars are made up of many mechanical parts and, when one of those parts fails, the results can be devastating. If your accident was caused due to a defective mechanical part, you will be filing a claim against the manufacturer.
If your injury is serious enough that you are unable to work, hiring an attorney may be critical.
Keep in mind that car manufacturers have in-house attorneys whose job it is to fight claims just like yours. You will want an attorney who has experience fighting big manufacturers in order to get you adequate compensation.
Insurance Company Refuses to Pay
Insurance companies are often not willing to pay claims, as their main goal is to protect their own bottom line. They may offer you an extremely low settlement, or they may deny your claim completely. When these things happen, you need to talk to an attorney before agreeing to anything the insurance company offers to be sure you are not being short-changed.
If the insurance company tries to deny your claim, you will need an attorney who will fight to get you what you are entitled to receive.
Fault is Unclear
There is a chance that it is not clear that the other driver is at fault, or there may have been more than one other vehicle involved. In some states, if you are found to be even a small amount at fault, your compensation must be reduced by that percentage.
Other states have legislation that does not allow you to collect at all if you are found to be at fault. If there is any question about fault, you want to contact an attorney.
Driving Under the Influence
If the accident involved someone who was driving under the influence, it is very important that you talk to an attorney. Driving under the influence is a serious offense in every state, and the person who caused your accident could be facing imprisonment.
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In most cases, a driver who is under the influence is found to be at fault and will be responsible for compensation for your injuries. However, you will want an attorney who has experience dealing with drunk driving cases.
If you have been injured in an accident and any of these scenarios relate to what you are dealing with, you can talk to a car accident lawyer for free. An attorney can answer your questions and give you an estimate of your case’s value.
