Minor Car Accident? An Attorney Can Help You

Most people may wonder if a lawyer is necessary after a minor car accident. When damages and/or injuries are minor, do individuals need to seek a legal representative? Many people may believe there’s no need to seek legal council or maybe some don’t know they’re entitled to an attorney after any kind of accident. Although, it is recommended to seek professional council whenever any accident ensues.

All accidents are a surprise and unexpected. Not only having to deal with the situation at hand, but the time and energy or even healing that will take its course after. No one is really prepared to deal with all that comes with an accident. It is no question that health and healing is everyone’s greatest priority. Talking to a lawyer even for a minor car accident can help make sure that a victim receives compensation for the damages that they have suffered. Hiring a lawyer is significant to ensure all processes are correctly addressed and in the right time frame.

Reasons to Hire a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident

Attorneys will help discern who is responsible when there isn’t a clear answer for who is owed compensation. Legal council will guide you in organizing evidence such as paperwork, medical bills, witness statements, and photos, to help dispute liability. It is likely that the damage will require someone to access the vehicle and inspect documented damages. These in total evidence could work for you or against you. If you, as the cooperating individual, gets served with documentation that you are involved in a lawsuit, it is imperative to contact a personal injury lawyer. Additionally, this will ensure you can protect your legal rights and avoid any additional loss.

When it comes down to insurance companies, they tend to offer the lowest or lower numbers than you, as the victim, may need or expect This is another situation where your attorney can review your insurance settlement and determine what is acceptable. Those lower numbers may not include damages such as medical treatment or long-term injuries, in addition to repairs to your property. This is where your lawyer will be able to negotiate the settlement to make sure all treatment, repairs, emotional pain and suffering, and medical procedures can try to be covered to avoid any more loss. For determining whether a total amount in a lump sum or payments are needed, your personal injury lawyer may analyze all medical processes with a healthcare professional.

Even when injury is minor, most medical procedures are expensive. Normally the victim will need to utilize their healthcare provider to help with compensation to assist in their recovery. Unfortunately, a lot of insurance claims are denied. Insurance companies may fall back on technicalities for reasons of denial. Your attorney can help contest these denial and help alleviate additional suffering and stress. Although it may be minor, lawyers can help with entitled compensation and remove additional stress and burden.

Minor Car Accident Injuries

Many factors can be considered even with minor injuries. Say a victim acquired a minor fracture of the wrist. Although it may not be life threatening and can be dealt with over time. It may be unavoidable that their line of work requires the use of their wrist to do 100% of their job? Maybe that victim is a caretaker for their family or a family member. The time required that can force the victim to have to take off from work for recovery, possibly surgery, is considered for compensation. Even with speedy recovery, it’s possible that wrist will harbor long-term damages and further keep them incapable of performing the job required of them. This is just one example that has to be considered in depth by your lawyer. There’s a legal process to ensure you truly get the compensation you are entitled to receive.

These minor injuries could also lead you to longer complications that aren’t realized until later. Even in a low-speed rear-end accident, it could cause whiplash. Which could last anywhere from a week to years. Adrenaline pumping through your body can postpone symptoms of all kinds of minor injuries and make them less noticeable. All which can affect a career, a household, and personal life. All factors that get calculated in total wage compensation and settlement numbers. A personal injury lawyer can help settle a claim and ensure you don’t lose any rights or compensation in the process.

Minor Vehicle Damages

On the surface, we may not see much damage in a minor car accident… parallel to our bodies, underneath may tell a different story. You may have dented a bumper or scratched the surface. Most of which could be replaced or fixed inexpensively and maybe without additional help. However, what’s on the surface may not reflect the damage underneath. Beyond that dented bumper, you may find a damaged axle. You may not notice at first. By the time you do, insurance companies may be hesitant or reject your claim because it wasn’t reported 24-48 hours after the incident. Which may prove useless. Even if you try to claim through the other driver’s insurance. It could be difficult to prove who was actually at fault.

Limitations

It’s important to know your rights as a person in your specific situation. No matter if your accident is considered major or minor car accident, it doesn’t help to wait to see an attorney. Evidence can get lost, attorneys can and will question the integrity of your case and how important it is to you, or the seriousness of your injuries. See an attorney ASAP. The statute of limitations applies for personal injury claims and liability with traffic accidents. Don’t wait. The longer you wait the harder some details of the claim can be to prove. Gathering evidence, witness statements and medical documents can get lost over time. Contacting a lawyer as soon as possible will ensure your best chances at a fair settlement and keeps you from going over your Statute of Limitations.

Evidence can be lost in time. Most cases have a 2-year statute of limitations and if clients wait too long to handle their own case, evidence gets lost and not preserved. An attorney is less likely to take on a case last minute when they have to utilize most of their time to find the right parties who might have moved or hid evidence elsewhere.

Even In Minor Car Accidents, You Might Consult A Lawyer When…

It’s easy to simply file an insurance claim with an insurance company in most minor car accidents. It is the easiest hassle-free way to receive compensation for repair or other bills such as medical expenses. You also have an additional option to take a claim to small claims court. Small claims court is usually utilized if the other driver is not insured or your claim was denied from the insurance company and you need to cover your expenses.

Even in these instances that could be done without an attorney, however, the easiest and fastest way may not be in your best interest. Without consultation from an attorney, you could be forfeiting some of your rights and missing on deserved compensation. Making the loss and injuries greater than needed to be.

Additional situations when you might want a lawyer’s help:

If there’s a question over total compensation or payments
If there is an injury or injuries that require ongoing medical attention
If there’s question about who’s at fault
If you’re needing defense in court
If insurance companies are denying your claim
If you just don’t want to handle your own case

Certain cases especially when it comes to liability and compensation will need to be extended and solved in court. Whether filing a claim that was denied or being sued after a car accident, defending yourself in court will be more efficient and effective with a personal legal representative. Don’t take any chances when it comes to compensation and physical health. Presenting in court to a judge and jury will be a lot easier with a legal council.

Finding Your Lawyer

No matter how minor your injuries may seem, seeking legal council could put your total of actual damages and injuries in perspective. Looking for an attorney with knowledge in the field of personal injury and accidents in the state of Florida. Someone who is current and up to date on the county laws in Stuart, working knowledge on motor vehicle claims and medical procedures for specific injuries. Find an attorney with a proven reputation that can represent you and your claim with significance. Ask for referrals and check reviews for a legal representative with known professionalism so you can build a relationship and case as client and lawyer.

You want a lawyer with a clean background. Public record information is readily available for the state of Florida. You can visit the Florida Bar website, with its Department of Lawyer Regulation operates the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program that administers a statewide disciplinary system. You might want to avoid any attorney with a disciplinary history.

Call 772-266-555 for a Free Consultation with a Stuart Car Accident Attorney

If you or someone in your family was in a minor car accident, contact Donaldson & Weston. Our team is here to represent you. Give our team the facts and we will let you know your options. For a free, no-obligation consultation with a car accident lawyer in Stuart, call 772-266-5555 or