In a minor car accident, you exchange information with the other driver, their insurance covers your losses, and you move on, but that rarely is that simple when serious injuries or property damage occur.
Knowing when to hire a car accident lawyer is critical, and it is not something to put off. At Levine & Wiss, PLLC, our Long Island accident lawyer is ready to help you at any time.
Key Reasons to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
Knowing when to get an attorney for a car accident is rather simple. First, with Levine And Wiss you can have a free consultation with a car accident lawyer without any obligation to discuss whether you have a case. During that conversation, your attorney will tell you if you should just settle the claim or if you should seek out additional compensation with their help.
Without any risk, anyone can set up a free consultation to find out if the insurance company is being unfair. If you want to determine if you should hire a car accident lawyer without reaching out just yet, there are several circumstances in which it makes sense to do so. If any of these apply to your situation, you should hire a reliable, local car accident attorney to help you:
- You have injuries that took you to the hospital emergency room. The action of going to the ER is expensive, and your health insurance may not pay for it.
- You have injuries that require surgery, advanced treatment, or long hospital stays. These are costly types of care as well, and the injuries could carry over long after you leave the hospital.
- You have permanent injuries. Insurance companies want you to settle these more complicated cases fast because it reduces how much they pay out – but doing so means you may not get the compensation you are owed.
- You are facing pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a viable claim for car accident claims, especially in serious cases where you may be experiencing ongoing pain.
- The event was traumatic. If you are struggling with your mental health or are seeking help from a medical professional for the trauma, you need an attorney.
Did the Insurance Company Deny Your Claim?
Another instance in which you should consider hiring a car accident attorney occurs when the insurance company rejects your initial claim for compensation. They may deny it outright, or they may reduce what they are willing to pay you. In addition to this, you may be the victim of other abuses by the insurance company if you experienced:
- Threats of any type if you do not settle your claim
- Deadlines that are unrealistic that you have to meet
- Requirements to settle your claim, whether you do not receive any compensation or not
- Statements that try to shift the blame to you or trick you into stating that you are okay
- Any instance in which you feel pressured by the insurance company to settle your case for less than you know you are owed
In these situations, the insurance company may be acting in bad faith, which is illegal. Even if they are not, they may be looking for ways to encourage you to settle your claim right away so that they can reduce the amount paid to you.
The insurance company cares about their profits, not your right to compensation, so be sure to review our case results to see how we have helped people just like you.
Are You Getting Enough in Your Case?
The Facts & Statistics: Auto Insurance report from the Insurance Information Institute states that the average bodily injury liability claim in 2022 was $24,211, and the average property damage claim was $5,313. However, keep in mind that most car accidents are minor and have limited compensation payments as a result.
If you have been in a car accident with serious injuries, catastrophic injuries, or fatalities, the losses you have are likely much higher than this.
When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer: Consider the Difference They May Make
The sooner you hire a car accident attorney, the faster you can learn what your legal rights are and how to make sure the insurance company pays for your losses. As you think about when to hire a car accident lawyer, consider how important it is for you to recover all of the damages you have. Then, consider some of the specific steps your attorney will take to help you:
- Determine fault: If you are partially at fault, or if the insurance company tries to make you at fault, you need an attorney who can fight for you. Let us find the evidence to prove who really is at fault.
- Determine the value of your case: Your attorney will estimate the value of all of your losses, including economic and noneconomic losses, to ensure your claim is comprehensive and exhaustive.
- Negotiate a fair level of compensation: With the help of your car accident attorney, you can make sure the insurance company treats you fairly. Let us negotiate the highest level of compensation possible.
- File a lawsuit: In situations where the insurance company is not being fair about the compensation provided or is stalling, we will file a lawsuit to force them to take action.
- Go to trial: Though it is rarely necessary to do so, we can go to trial to hold them accountable for their actions when necessary.
You can count on your attorney to provide you with clear, comprehensive information about your rights. If we do not think we can help you increase the compensation offered to you or that we cannot win your case, we will not tell you that. Trusted legal support is always something you can rely on with our legal team by your side, and our client reviews tell that story.
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Contact a Car Accident Attorney in New York Now for Answers
With no risk to you, it is never a bad time to call a car accident attorney to find out what your legal rights are. Set up a free consultation with our legal team at Levine And Wiss now. Let us answer your questions for you.
