For insurance questions about no-fault benefits and personal injury protection coverage, call your company's phone number from either the letter of notice that dmv sent you or the policy card that your insurer gave you. in some cases, treatment can be postponed by up to three months under these policies.
in general, most states offer no-fault insurance for those who have been injured in car accidents, but each state has different requirements. speak with an attorney to learn more about available compensation for costs associated with getting medical attention and other losses
when should you get a lawyer for a car accident?
if you are seeking any kind of compensation for the accident, whether through personal injury or property damage.
if you are seeking compensation for personal injuries, some lawyers say it's best to try and handle the situation on your own before hiring a lawyer. after an accident, these people recommend talking to witnesses, gathering evidence about how the other party acted in the moment of impact (i.e., was their braking pattern sharp or slow?), and documenting your contact information with key personnel who might have information relating to the event.
however, if at any time during these first steps there is something that requires legal help–for example, if a witness refuses to cooperate when asked for his contact info–it's best not to do it alone
is it worth getting an attorney for a car accident?
it depends.
if the accident happened in a city such as new york city, an attorney is often not worth it because of “injuries low and damages high.” however, if you live in a smaller town where the court system isn't well-equipped to handle complicated cases like these, your lawyer can make a big difference in your case. if you've sustained serious injuries and seek medical treatment soon after the crash (but before the statute of limitations from personal injury expires), then yes it's worth it! an attorney can help get medical attention for injuries that aren't immediately visible or didn't manifest until weeks or months after. in other words, without an attorney who knows what they're doing that day-to-day negotiations
why should i hire an attorney after a car accident?
answer 1: it is always good to have an attorney, because if you are unhappy with your settlement – or are having trouble getting the insurance company to pay- they can step in and do for you what you cannot do on your own.
liability has all but disappeared as a necessary precondition for suing someone. if these days that person sells something outside their home or business, they owe us nothing more than ordinary care.
is it worth getting a lawyer for minor car accident?
it depends on what kind of car accident you were in – the more serious the injury, the more likely it is that you might benefit from legal help. one rule of thumb is to speak to a qualified attorney if there are more than $10,000 worth of property damage or personal injuries were inflicted.
an offer by an insurance company may sound like great news when in actuality, it could turn out that they are really just trying to “lowball” you into settling for less than what would be considered reasonable compensation. if an injury has already occurred and legal counsel provides professional representation, they will work with the insurance company on your behalf and make sure something fair is given in exchange for their damages settlement with you.”it
