When should I hire a car accident lawyer?
The ideal time to hire an attorney is as soon as possible after you are involved in an accident. Reporting the accident to the police is the most important priority, followed by receiving medical care for any injuries. After these steps are completed, the next phone call you may want to make is to an attorney.
Hiring a car accident lawyer in North Carolina can help you preserve your rights and avoid common mistakes when claiming compensation. With the services and knowledge an attorney provides, you can significantly increase your chances of obtaining compensation for your car accident injuries.
Strongly Consider Hiring an Attorney Before Talking to Insurers
One of the most crucial services a North Carolina car accident attorney provides is to help you manage the information you share with insurance companies when making a claim. Especially in a situation where you found yourself in an accident while driving a rental car.
After you are hurt in an accident, you will want to work with a liability insurance provider to file a claim against any and all at-fault drivers. However, you have a legal interest in only filing a notice of a claim and waiting to provide further information.
When you reach out to an insurance company, its representatives will request all sorts of information you will be unable to fully and accurately provide in the days immediately after your wreck. Because claimants assume they are having a friendly conversation, they may speculate about the answers to the questions or provide unnecessary details. These details may later form the basis of reasons for denying a claim or only offering a small portion of the total claimed damages.
Examples of leading questions an insurance representative might ask include:
- Are you feeling any pain since the accident?
- Was anyone else in your vehicle hurt in the collision?
- Did you notice the other vehicle(s) involved prior to the collision?
- Was this a vehicle you drive daily?
- Was traffic flowing at the time of the crash?
While all of these questions may seem innocent, they can each hold an underlying motive. Saying “no, I’m not feeling much pain” can jeopardize your ability to claim a severe injury and ask for pain and suffering damages, for example. Saying “no, I didn’t notice the other vehicle until it hit me” can supply evidence that you weren’t paying close attention at the time of the crash.
Because of these risks, it is best to speak to an attorney before contacting any insurance company following a car accident. That includes your own insurance company too! If you go against that best practice and decide to call them (don’t do it) decline to make a recorded statement or provide anything other than basic details. Your name, contact information, and the date and time of the crash should suffice for a notice of a claim filed in the days immediately preceding the accident. After that point, you can receive a complete medical diagnosis and begin investigating factors like who caused the wreck with the help of an experienced attorney.
Working with a car accident lawyer gives you the knowledge and forethought needed to avoid falling into common “traps” that insurers set when looking to reduce the value of claims.
Call a North Carolina Car Accident Attorney When There Are Complicated Factors Involved in Your Case
An attorney can provide extensive services in every car accident claims case, especially in cases involving specific, complex legal factors.
Potential injury clients should feel encouraged to reach out to an attorney any time in the following scenarios:
- The accident led to catastrophic injuries or deaths
- The accident involved a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle
- Accident injuries may lead to permanent side effects, including an inability to return to your former job
- You have extensive pain and suffering
- You have difficulty calculating the total value of your work income losses and/or future medical treatment costs
In any of these scenarios, the average person may quickly find themselves overwhelmed by the legal factors in their case. Reaching out to experienced N.C. car accident lawyers at Auger & Auger will allow them to examine every aspect of their case and form a strategy for seeking the highest amount of compensation possible.
How an Attorney Helps After a Car Accident
Hiring a car accident attorney provides you with a source of legal support and extensive resources following your crash, no matter how minor the car accident was. While some people may think that they can handle the claims process entirely on their own, the truth is that there are many factors that a non-legal-professional might overlook with their case. For example, they may fail to estimate the full value of their damages, both past, and future. Or, they may accept an insurer stating that they cannot pay for a claim when the policy in question would likely cover the situation.
Know that just by having a lawyer, many insurers will treat claimants differently. Insurance companies know that attorneys do their homework when reading the applicable policy and applying past case rulings. You are much less likely to receive a “lowball” settlement offer with an attorney representing you, in nearly every situation, in other words.
Further, North Carolina car accident attorneys can provide additional services, like the following:
- Investigating your collision to determine the cause and who is at fault
- Working with doctors to fully diagnose your injuries and estimate a long-term recovery window
- Projecting the costs of future medical care and your difference in income (lost wages) by comparing earnings before and after the wreck
- Working with fact witnesses and eyewitnesses to establish a record and confirm facts about your case
- Filing all paperwork on time on your behalf
- Fielding questions from insurance companies or other parties
- Identifying all at-fault parties, including defective vehicle part manufacturers and others
- Supporting you throughout your case, answering questions, and providing legal guidance every step of the way
Talk to North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Who Care
Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers, have practiced injury law in North Carolina for over 25 years and counting. We work closely with clients to ensure they get the absolute best service and up-to-the-moment guidance. Most importantly, we understand insurance companies and know the types of evidence and legal arguments that can convince them your claim is worth paying.
Learn about the legal strategies you could be using to seek compensation during a free, no-obligation case review. Call 800-559-5741 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation now.
