You, like many others, may be wondering when to hire a car accident lawyer after a car accident. It is a mistake to assume that you can handle all the complexities of a car accident case, especially if you are partially to blame.
Therefore, you must hire a lawyer immediately after a car accident. However, if you decide to go it on your own or decide to delay hiring a lawyer for whatever reason, there are a few situations where you must hire one if you find yourself facing them.
If you have been involved in a car crash, you must contact a car accident lawyer in Medicine Hat immediately. Read on to find out when to hire a car accident lawyer.
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When do you need to hire a car accident lawyer?
Although it is not immediately necessary to contact a lawyer after a car accident, you should do so if you are injured, or your property has been damaged severely. However, you should contact a lawyer immediately if you face the following situations.
You are unsure if you can get compensation
If you are unsure whether you are eligible for compensation or how much you can receive, it is a good idea to hire a car accident lawyer. The lawyer can examine your case and determine if compensation is possible.
Apart from identifying all defendants in a case, they will also determine how much compensation you are eligible for.
The amount you are eligible for depends on the following:
- Your degree of responsibility in the accident
- How severe are your injuries
- Your income before the accident
- The cost of medical expenses, including rehabilitation and other expenses
- Your age
The other party blames you
It is common for people involved in an accident to contest responsibility. If you have been involved in a car accident, the other party might likely blame you for the accident. If that happens, it is imperative that you hire a skilled lawyer immediately, or else you might find yourself liable for all damages.
Your lawyer can launch an independent investigation into the cause of your car accident and determine who caused the accident. If the investigation shows that the blame lies with the other party, you can use it as evidence at trial.
If you are found to be partially to blame for the accident, and in some provinces, you may have to pay damages according to your portion of the blame.
The car accident involved multiple parties
The case can get quite complex if a car accident involves multiple parties. Depending on how the accident took place, you may have to deal with multiple lawsuits at the same time.
Since handling multiple cases simultaneously is nearly impossible for one person alone, it is a good idea to hire an experienced lawyer to help you through it.
You experienced life-altering injuries
If your car accident has left you with a permanent disability or a long-term health issue, you must hire an experienced lawyer immediately. A lawyer will be able to seek compensation for the following:
- Medical Costs
- Rehabilitation Costs
- Lost Wages
- Loss of Future Earnings
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Companionship
- Loss of Joy
If the other party was found to act with malice, your lawyer could also seek punitive damages on your behalf.
The insurance company denied your claim
Although unfortunate, it is pretty standard for legitimate car accident claims to be denied by insurance companies.
Some of the common reasons cited when denying include:
- You did not report the car accident in time
- You did not provide adequate evidence
- You are exaggerating your injuries
- You are making a fraudulent claim
If your or the other party’s insurance company denies a claim for any of the reasons mentioned, you should immediately contact an experienced lawyer. They will be able to fight for your rights by negotiating with the insurance companies on your behalf.
You are nearing your claim deadline
Most provinces have limits as to how long a victim of a car accident has to file a lawsuit. If you don’t have a good enough reason why you delayed filing (e.g., the victim was a minor or the other party could not be found), you cannot pursue compensation if the deadline has passed.
Therefore, you must hire a car accident lawyer immediately, so you don’t miss out on compensation due to technicalities.
Conclusion
If you or your loved one was involved in a car accident, no matter the severity, you should contact an experienced lawyer, as even if you are not at fault, you may have to defend yourself against claims made by the other party.
Also, most lawyers provide free consultations, and that conversation may save you tons of hassle later on as they will give you a good outline of the pertinent details of your case and how to best go about it.
Hopefully, the information provided in this article will be helpful to you, and we hope you get the best settlement possible for your car accident claim.