Let’s start with this – not every car accident requires the involvement of a lawyer and you are under no obligation to hire one after a car accident. Having said that, in almost all circumstances you’re far better off with trained and experienced legal counsel by your side.

If you or a loved one has been in a car accident that is not your fault, you may be tempted to try to resolve the matter yourself without the benefit of an attorney. With over 35 years of combined experience in personal injury law, we would caution you against doing this. Determining fault in a car accident is a very complicated and nuanced endeavor. It requires a complete and total evaluation of the facts of your car accident, coupled with a strong command of personal injury law in the state where the accident occurred. Many people believe that just because somebody was cited for a traffic violation at the scene of the accident, that the at fault party is obvious. However you have to understand that many times, the process that occurs in the court system related to the traffic ticket results in either a dismissal or a type of plea that cannot be used to prove responsibility in a civil case. Since fault in a personal injury case is such a complex question of fact and law, it’s imperative that you have an attorney involved early and often in a car accident claim. Unfortunately, for many car accident victims, they find out too late that the insurance company is disputing responsibility after assuming that fault was clear. Even worse, some victims inadvertently wait too long to file a lawsuit and allow the insurance company to simply wait out the clock until the statute of limitations has run. 

In general it’s unwise to talk to or negotiate with insurance companies without speaking to your own counsel first. Remember that the insurers main goal when talking to you is to try to minimize the amount that they have to pay to you on the claim. Well insurance company adjusters are skilled at making it seem as if they have your interest at heart, the reality is that their job description requires loyalty to the insurer first. When you hire an attorney, that lawyer represents your interests and your interest alone. Because of this, you can trust that a qualified personal injury attorney will give you candid advice and counsel about how best to handle your unique situation. It’s also important to remember that insurance companies will try to twist any statements that you make to benefit their interests. As Managing Partner recently explained in a Forbes Article entitled “These Are the Worst Auto Insurance Claim Mistakes”;