The immediate aftermath of the accident has a few standard rules. Ensure that everyone is safe. Call for first responders if necessary. Exchange information so you can file the necessary insurance claims. However, things don’t always go as planned, and there may be factors that complicate matters. You can try to handle things on your own. But when should you hire an attorney after a car accident?
You’ve Received a Major Ticket
If you were issued a ticket for aggressive driving, drunk driving or anything else that is significant, you need an attorney. Being found guilty of running a stop sign, driving when too tired to safely operate a vehicle or speeding will make you at least partially liable for the accident. In the case of drunk driving, it will make you liable for all of the damages due to the accident. If your attorney fights the ticket and wins, this reduces your liability in the accident case. This may result in the medical and mechanic bills being split 50-50 instead of 100 percent your fault.
The Other Person Doesn’t Have Valid Insurance
Depending on the area, anywhere from one in ten to one in six drivers lacks valid insurance. They may be illegal aliens who cannot legally get car insurance. It may be a type of fraud, such as when people renew their driver’s license with a monthly auto insurance policy they drop as soon as the car’s tags are renewed. Or the person may be driving without a valid insurance policy, such as when they let the policy lapse. Others were dropped by their insurance carrier due to too many tickets or fraudulent paperwork, though they’re still carrying the original insurance card.
An attorney for a car accident cases is one of the few resources available to you. They can help you sue the other person for the damages they caused. They could also report that the other person was driving without valid insurance, offering proof of the offense. Now the other person is punished by the state for their poor choices.
The Insurance Company Refuses to Pay
It isn’t uncommon for insurance companies to balk at paying claims. They may argue that the damages aren’t covered by your policy. They might say that the policy doesn’t cover the type of damage your received. Or they may require additional documentation again and again, delaying the payout of the claim. This is actually a cost-saving measure for them, since they receive interest on the money sitting in the bank. And you might give up and not take the money.
Yet there are times when it is due to the customer’s mistakes. Someone may not provide sufficient proof of their injuries. Or they may not provide enough documentation to prove that they’ve spent as much money as they’re claiming is necessary to make them whole. Attempts to fix things yourself or hire a friend to do the car repairs can hurt your claim, too. However, you have the right to fight for the ability to take your car to your preferred repair shop, not one on the other side of town that has a special relationship with the insurer.
