When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Kentucky (and Why)

If you are in a position where you are asking when to hire a car accident lawyer, the best answer is always, “As soon as possible!”

It doesn’t matter whether you have already filed a claim or how serious your injuries are. If you have been in a car accident, then consulting with a car accident lawyer should be a priority.

The sooner you receive legal advice and protection, the sooner you can build a stronger case. And even if you’re already well into the insurance claim process, a personal injury attorney may still take much of the weight off your shoulders.

Here are some important reasons why the answer to when to hire a car accident lawyer is sooner rather than later.

Insurance Adjusters Can Try to Trick You

Whether you are working with your own insurance company or that of a negligent party, their missions are the same. Insurance adjusters might act like they have your best interests in heart, but they will pursue every method possible to pay you as little as they can.

Insurance adjuster tactics can include:

·        Delaying negotiations and other actions in the hope that you will give up and settle for a lowball offer

·        Asking you to make a recorded statement and trying to twist your words into an admission of liability

·        Convincing you to sign off on your full medical records so they can dig through them for pre-existing conditions to pin your crash injuries on

·        Requiring you to see a medical provider of their choosing 

 

You do not have to fall for any tricks or tactics. The sooner you hire a car accident lawyer, the sooner you have someone who can protect your rights and communicate with the insurance company on your behalf. 

You Need to Fight Back Against Lowball Offers

Sometimes an insurance company recognizes their insured driver is at fault and quickly offers a settlement. But that shouldn’t always be seen as a victory.

Often, the insurance company’s initial offer is a lowball number that won’t adequately compensate you for both your current and long-term needs. But if you accept this offer, you may forfeit your right to seek more compensation later if you need it.

How do you know whether an offer is suitable? By hiring a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

A personal injury lawyer will have a network of resources to determine your car accident claim’s worth and whether the insurance company is giving you a fair offer. They can then use evidence to pressure the insurance company to increase their settlement offer – or take them to court instead.

Evidence Must Be Protected Before It’s Lost or Destroyed

Evidence is the foundation of any car accident case, but good evidence doesn’t last forever.

Sometimes you will have a brief window of time to gather evidence before it’s permanently lost. Limited-time evidence includes:

·        Skid marks, debris, and other items at the accident scene, which can get cleaned up or washed away

·        Surveillance footage from surrounding cameras or dashcam footage, which can get overwritten or erased

·        Witnesses, who can disappear or have their memories fade with time

·        In accidents involving trucks, computer data or trucking company records can legally be destroyed after a set period

An experienced car accident attorney can help you properly collect and secure this evidence before it disappears. They also have connections to accident reconstructors, medical consultants, and other experts who can use this evidence to show what happened in the accident, who was responsible, and how the injuries you’ve sustained have affected your life.

You Need Time to Focus on Recovery

We don’t have to tell you how difficult it can be to focus both on your legal and physical situations at the same time. Caring for yourself or an injured loved one can be stressful enough, but then you can have medical expenses, hospital stays, lost wages, and ongoing treatment to deal with as well.

The stakes are high, both financially and emotionally. Future medical expenses alone can be significant yet difficult to estimate on your own.

When you hire a car accident lawyer, they can take the primary responsibilities of claim negotiation off you. You can rely on their legal representation and knowledge to act on your behalf. Then you can have more time and energy to care for yourself and those you love with less added stress from a legal battle.

An accident attorney can not only talk with the insurance company for you, either. They can also negotiate with the hospital and medical billers to help lower your medical expenses as well.

What if You Weren’t Injured in an Accident and Only Have a Property Claim?

First, if you have been involved in any sort of vehicle accident, it’s important to make sure that you truly do not have any injuries that could cause lasting trouble. Even if your injuries feel minor or non-existent right after the crash, symptoms could develop up to several days later. 

Visit a doctor or urgent care clinic for an evaluation as soon as possible after a crash to discover any potential problems. It establishes a medical record in case any physical problems arise that you would need to file a claim against. 

But let’s say you thankfully have no injuries or were not in an involved car accident, but your property was still damaged. Do you still need to hire an attorney to handle your property damage claim? Sometimes, no.

We wrote an eBook with comprehensive tips that can save you time, money, and trouble when filing a property damage claim – without a lawyer. You can order this eBook for free, along with many others, on our books page.

 

And if you do run into any questions, complications, or the need for a personal injury claim, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Is Now When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

If you need leverage against the insurance company, the protection of important evidence, simple peace of mind, or any other help surrounding an accident claim, the answer to when to hire a car accident lawyer may be now. Having a personal injury attorney who fully understands the car accident claim process can help you even the playing field and receive more of the compensation you deserve.

You likely have questions about your specific situation. The Kentucky car accident lawyers at Karl Truman Law Office are here to help you find answers. For more than 25 years, we have provided compassionate, aggressive legal representation for accident victims.

Schedule a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your case and how we can help. Simply give us a call at (812) 889-0384 or contact us through our website.

 

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.