6 Situations When You Should Hire Car Accident Lawyer

Nothing can prepare you for a car accident and the impact it can have on your life. Auto collisions have the potential to leave you seriously injured or even bereaved of a loved one.

Although you’re entitled to receive a full settlement for the losses incurred in the accident (medical expenses, property damage, lost wages) obtaining it is a different ball game. Car insurance claims often come with a hefty amount of paperwork, phone calls, and hassle: something you may not be prepared to handle alone.

This is where a seasoned car accident lawyer can come to your aid.

When to Consult a Car Accident Attorney in Utah?

That said, there’s no law mandating that you must hire an attorney when pursuing a personal injury settlement. Most minor accidents (also known as fender benders) can generally be handled through direct contact with an insurance company. However, accidents that involve physical injury, fatalities, or other significant damage should go to a car accident lawyer.

Confused? We’ve got your back. Here are six specific situations where you must consult a car accident injury lawyer in Utah without delay.

1. You Have No Prior Legal Experience

To the uninitiated, filing a car accident settlement claim can quickly become an uphill struggle. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into this process. One misstep and your case can get thrown out forever.

The last thing you want is a missed deadline ruining your chances at fair compensation. That’s why you should seek out an experienced car accident lawyer to help you. An attorney will know exactly what to do and when, so you won’t have to worry about a thing. They’ll take care of all the paperwork and submit all the necessary documents on time.

2. You Have Suffered Severe Injuries

Every car accident is tragic, but the ones that lead to long-term injuries are particularly devastating. A few of the most common car accident injuries include:

Limb loss and amputation
Fractures and broken bones
Burns
Disfiguring facial injuries and scars
Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis

Aside from your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, a long-term injury can also affect your economic health. Given the rising costs of healthcare in the US, you could easily spend thousands of dollars on physical therapy and other resuscitative treatments. Combined with a probable loss of income from missed work, this can quickly drive you toward a financial crisis.

To prevent this scenario, your settlement must cover your current/future medical bills and all associated expenses (in case you’re permanently disabled). Your car accident attorney will bring in medical and other professionals to prove that your injuries are grave enough to warrant the compensation you’re claiming.

3. Your Accident Involved Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of accidents on US roads. According to the CDC, 29 people die in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. That is one death every fifty minutes.

As you probably know, driving under the influence is a criminal offense. Depending on what happened, the person who hit you could be looking at probation or jail time- provided you act quickly.

On the settlement front, the common types of damages you can claim in a drunk driving accident include:

Medical expenses
Vehicle repairs and replacement
Mental anguish
Pain and suffering
Lost wages

Don’t let an irresponsible driver’s actions take a toll on your life. Get in touch with a competent car accident attorney in Utah to pursue your claim and fight for your rightful compensation.

4. You Can’t Establish a Fault

Determining fault is one of the first steps in settling an accident claim. In some cases, the cause of the accident is confusing, making it difficult to figure out who’s legally responsible. This is usually the case for multi-party car accidents.

However, insurance companies rarely play fair. They may try to poke holes in your story and frame you for the crash to avoid paying a reasonable settlement. Essentially, they’ll try to wear you down until you have no choice but to accept whatever they put on the table.

If you’re handling your case alone, you may not know how to respond to the insurance company’s assertions. But a qualified car accident injury lawyer in Utah will. Attorneys are well-aware of the insurer’s stall tactics and will cut through the red tape to get you the compensation you deserve. They will also launch a thorough investigation into the car crash’s circumstances to identify the at-fault party.

5. You Are Being Offered a Lowball Settlement

If you think the insurance company is lowballing you, chances are they probably are.

Since insurance companies are in the business of making money, they’ll use every trick in the book to make you accept a lower payout. After all, their goal is to brush their hands off your case as quickly as possible.

Here’s the catch: you have every right to refuse your insurance company’s first offer. But for this, you’ll need a lawyer with potent problem-solving and negotiation skills.

Remember, most insurance companies are backed by aggressive legal teams. Hence, it only makes sense for you to have a lawyer in your corner.

Experienced car accident attorneys will tally up your damages and draft a rough estimate. Additionally, they will negotiate the insurance company’s offer and keep you from settling for anything less.

6. Your Case Is Going to Trial

The vast majority of car accident insurance claims are settled before any lawsuit is filed. And of the suits that do get filed, most are resolved out of court.

But not all car accidents are the same. In some situations, the parties may not agree on who caused the crash. Or, the insurers might dispute the victim’s compensation. Whatever the case, if a car accident settlement is stuck in limbo, the next step is to take it to trial.

Needless to say, court trials are serious business. Considering the complicated legal nature of the process, you’ll want to leave things to the professionals. A skilled car accident attorney will have no trouble protecting your best interests and fighting to secure a favorable outcome for your case.

The Bottom Line

There you have it: six times you should seek legal counsel for your car accident claim. Even though car accidents can wreck your life in more ways than once, you will have a better shot at finding your feet with an experienced, skilled, and reputable attorney on your side.

Do you need a car accident injury attorney in Utah to help you recover your losses? You have come to the right place. At Henriksen & Henriksen, we’re ready to fight for you while you focus on recovering. We’ll use our years of proven expertise to assess your case and put you on the right path. For more information, feel free to contact us today!

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