You might feel nervous after a car accident. You know a lot of people hire attorneys to handle their cases, but you’re not sure if that applies to your case. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. Many people aren’t sure when they should talk to an attorney after a car accident. We’re here to explain.
When You Should Talk to an Attorney
If anyone is hurt in the accident, contact an attorney as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter if it was you, your passenger, or the driver in the other car; if someone is hurt, you should seek legal representation immediately. Failing to do so could leave you unequipped to answer accusations against you from either the other driver or your own passenger.
Likewise, you may want to contact an attorney if there’s significant damage to either vehicle. If your car was totaled and it has less than 100,000 miles on it, an attorney could help you recover more compensation than your insurance company would initially offer.
When You Don’t Need an Attorney
If someone scratches your paint or you’re involved in a minor fender-bender, you probably don’t need an attorney. The amount you might earn from such a case just isn’t worth the time commitment of researching, talking to insurance companies, and filing a formal claim with the court.
Similarly, you may not need an attorney for damages to an older, non-vintage car. If your 2005 sedan with 136,000 miles is totaled, but you walk away without incident, an attorney may not be worth your time.
If there’s minimal damage and nobody is injured, you might pursue small claims court if their insurance settlement was too small to cover the damages.
If you or someone you loved suffered serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Minot personal injury attorney from Pringle & Herigstad to evaluate your claim, please send us an email or call (855) 245-5100.
