Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer for a Minor Accident?

There's no doubt that you should get an attorney's help after a major car accident. But what about a minor one? Even for smaller accidents, unexpected situations happen that will leave you wishing you had a car accident lawyer. Here are just a few possibilities that are best handled by someone with legal expertise.

You May Have Hidden Injuries

You may feel fine after a minor car accident and confident that you would notice if something's off. You then choose not to go to a doctor. Many people make this common but crucial mistake after a minor car accident. 4.4 million people in the US have serious injuries from car accidents each year, and this number could include you. You may just not know it yet because of your body's adrenaline rush.

Not only is it important to go to a doctor to rule out serious injuries, but it's also important to retain legal counsel. If your injuries turned out to be more serious than you initially suspected, you'll want to have someone who can guide you through collecting and using your medical records to get a settlement. And if you delay going to the doctor only to discover your symptoms worsen, you'll need a lawyer who can help you back up your claim.

You Left the Scene

In a car accident with little damage and no injuries, it's tempting to leave the scene of the accident without contacting the police. Many people see no problem with exchanging each other's insurance and contact information, then going their separate ways. This may work out if the other person accurately reports the claim to their insurance. Unfortunately, you could get caught in a bad situation with no police report or documentation of who was at fault.

The other person may report damages to their vehicle that exceeded what happened, falsely claim personal injuries, or even say you caused the accident when the opposite is true. This leaves you in a bad position to get a fair settlement. It's wise to hire an attorney as soon as possible if you suspect the other person isn't being honest with you. Even if everything checks out, you may still want to meet with a lawyer to tie up any loose ends.

You Don't Have the Experience of a Car Accident Lawyer

You may have some knowledge of the law and feel prepared to handle your minor car accident case. However, laws differ by state and even by city. For instance, Austin, TX, has a ban on using handheld devices while driving, while Houston does not. Factors like these can affect how you approach your settlement and what you are able to receive. If you're living in the Houston area, you'll do best with a Houston car wreck attorney.

Also, keep in mind that getting a settlement is about much more than just understanding the law. You'll also need to communicate effectively with insurance, research and acquire necessary documents for your case, record your bills, file a demand letter, and seek out the testimony of expert witnesses to support your claim.

Your Negotiation Skills Aren't Great

Settling your case out of court is typically the best method for a minor car accident. You'll save time and energy by working with, not against, the insurance company and the other party in the accident. But you may end up losing out on a fair settlement in the process. Insurance companies may seem friendly and even eager to help, but their bottom line is to pay as little as possible. This means that the negotiation process will be anything but an even playing field.

First, insurance companies may try to get you to admit fault in your conversations to offer you a lower settlement later. They may also use delay tactics to intimidate you and even investigate your social media to see if you posting anything that they could use as a negotiation tool. Without the years of negotiation practice that an attorney has, it's easy to get caught up in their strategy and lose your standing during negotiations.

Your Case Could Get Complicated

Last but not least, don't rely on the belief that your case will be easy to handle because it was a minor accident. The other party may choose not to cooperate, insurance may want to do its own investigation that will prolong your case, and any other number of factors could turn a seemingly open-and-shut claim into one that ends poorly. Stay on track by hiring a car accident attorney early on in the process.You can to know more about it and hire them for the best results.

It's always best to have a second set of eyes go over your car accident case, no matter how minor. You'll either get the reassurance that everything looks up to par, or you'll be able to identify problems and address them early. Whatever happens, you're won't have to do it alone.