Dealing with any accident can be tricky and insanely challenging. But the reality is that you do want to file a claim and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. That might happen sometimes, or it might not. That’s why you want to hire a good legal professional, where possible. But do you need to hire a lawyer for a minor car accident? Let’s find out.
What’s considered a minor car accident?
Before we delve deeper into this, we do want to determine what’s seen as a minor car accident. For example, you have the low-speed impact, the minimal vehicle damage, and also no immediate injuries. A minor accident also has no airbag deployment, clear fault and no involvement of commercial or governmental vehicle. It’s definitely a simpler accident, and one that might be a lot easier to handle.
When you don’t need a lawyer?
If you want to hire a San Luis Obispo car accident lawyer, you will notice that a lot of the time having his/her advice is helpful. However, there are a few situations when working with a lawyer might not be necessary:
- If there‘s no injuries or pain, the reality is that you might not need an attorney to begin with.
- The same thing is valid if the property damage is minimal. But in that case, the insurance company needs to accept liability, and the repairs need to be straightforward, something to consider here.
- Additionally, you don’t need the lawyer if the other driver’s insurance company is cooperating with you.
- It’s also valid if there are no ongoing costs or any lost wages.
Sometimes, minor accidents have the potential to become a bigger problem. There are delays in injuries, and stuff such as whiplash, concussions, back and neck strain can take a few weeks until they appear. Most insurance companies will try to speed stuff up and minimize the claims. That’s because the insurance adjusters are trained to downplay injuries, rush settlements, question medical treatments and also acquire statements that limit their liability when possible.
When is it a good idea to hire an attorney for a minor car accident?
The truth is that even if the accident seems minor, there are plenty of times when getting legal assistance and help could be extremely useful. That’s the reason why it makes sense to hire a lawyer in the following situations:
- If the insurance company is pushing back and doesn’t want to fulfill their duties, having a lawyer will help. Attorneys know how to handle interactions with insurance companies, and they will do that in your best interests.
- The same thing is valid if fault is disputed. If the other driver is denying responsibility, he blames you and gives a different version of the accident, then you need legal representation.
- You should also have a legal representative if you are experiencing any neck stiffness, back pain, headaches or any injury and pain in general after the incident.
- It’s also a good idea to do so when you incur unexpected costs, if you missed work and anything similar to that.
- Plus, it can be problematic if the accident involves any special circumstances.
What will a lawyer do in these situations?
The reason why you want to hire an attorney even in these situations is because it can help a lot more than you might expect. For starters, he will evaluate the case and see if it’s minor or not. He will talk with the insurance company on your behalf and gather documentation/evidence as well. He will also calculate the full value of the claim and he will negotiate for a fair settlement. Lawyers will always make sure that deadlines are met, and they will protect you from sharing any damaging statements. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to give those without even noticing. But thankfully, the lawyer will be there to assist.
Some people might have cost concerns related to hiring a lawyer. But the truth is that lawyers in this niche are working on a contingency fee basis, a lot of the time. There are no upfront costs, and there are no hourly fees, too. Plus, there are no payments done unless they are recovering the compensation. It’s a great approach, because it incentivizes the lawyer to work even harder to win, and that’s what matters.
Conclusion
Overall, it’s clear that hiring a San Luis Obispo car accident lawyer is always going to be the best approach if you are dealing with any type of accident. Sure, there are some situations when the issue is very minor and you don’t have to go to court, or the other person involved in the accident is cooperative. But a lot of the time, you will need legal representation. And the truth is that having a lawyer by your side will always help more than expected!
