Determining when to hire an injury lawyer may be the most important decision you make after an accident.
Almost everyone waits too long. Many wait forever. Don’t be that person.
Below you’ll find exactly how not having a lawyer early enough effects your settlement.
With a personal injury lawyer, 91% of people get a settlement payout. Without one? Only 51% do.
Knowing when NOT to hire an injury lawyer is easy. When you have no damages and were completely at fault the answer is obvious.
Knowing when to get one, on the other hand, is a different story.
Not every accident requires a lawyer. But enough do that understanding when you need one is crucial.
Why Most People Hire an Injury Lawyer Too Late
The days and weeks after an accident are about recovery. Not about legal rights or maximizing a claim.
This is completely normal and to be expected. But it also plays right into insurance companies’ strategies.
Insurance companies move quickly after a claim is filed. Victims take longer. They should too. But it only makes sense to negotiate with an insurer once.
If you accept their first settlement offer you can’t come back for more after hiring a lawyer. Even if that offer was far too low.
When fault, injuries or damages are in dispute there is no time to waste. Make sure you understand car accident legal cases in Arkansas before fault becomes contested.
Trigger #1: Someone Disputes Your Version of Fault
Nobody likes to believe they caused an accident. But the reality is that fault is one of the most contested issues in injury cases.
Liability should be simple. But when insurers and insurance agents get involved, it rarely is.
Insurance companies fight claims tooth and nail. They look for reasons to shift blame to their client…or place partial blame on you.
Comparative negligence laws exist for a reason. If you’re found to be at fault even 20% your total recovery could be reduced by that percentage.
Attorneys know how to establish fault and hold insurers accountable to their policyholders.
Dealing with insurance companies alone? Not so much.
It doesn’t take much for insurers to bring in lawyers and contest fault.
If you’ve been told you were at fault by anyone other than your own insurance agent, it’s time to hire someone who can protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Trigger #2: Injuries Are More Than Minor
Most scratches and bruises don’t warrant hiring an attorney. Serious injuries, however, are another story entirely.
Not sure if your injuries qualify? These are considered serious:
- Broken bones/fractures
- Head injuries
- Damage to the spine
- Injuries resulting in disability
- Any injury requiring surgery
Why? Serious injuries lead to serious damage claims. How much you can recover depends on proving those damages.
Medical expenses, both now and in the future, are thrown into the calculation. So are things like lost wages, potential earnings, pain and suffering, and more.
Without a personal injury lawyer fighting for you it will be difficult to recover maximum compensation.
Don’t wait until you can prove that your injuries were serious to contact a lawyer. By then it may be too late.
Trigger #3: Damages Don’t Match Up With The Insurers Offer
Being told you’re entitled to $20,000 but only seeing an offer for $10k is extremely frustrating. But that kind of scenario is entirely normal.
Insurance companies are not on your side.
No matter how sympathetic they sound on the phone, their job is to settle claims as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Even when the injuries are clearly documented and it was obviously not your fault, the settlement offer will almost never match your case’s true value.
Personal injury claims are rising. In 2024 the average auto liability bodily injury claim was $27,373. That’s an 8% increase from last year.
When the compensation being offered doesn’t fully cover your damages, it’s time to level the playing field and hire an attorney.
You worked hard for your money. So should the person who hurt you.
Letting Time Slip By Costs Real Money
If you wait too long to hire an attorney you’ll eventually miss the statute of limitations deadline.
Once that clock expires you can no longer file a lawsuit to recover compensation.
There are also some hidden consequences to waiting that can cost you money.
- Potential evidence is lost or destroyed.
- Witnesses lose memory of the event.
- Medical records become harder to connect to the accident.
- Insurance companies use the time gap to justify a lower offer.
Here’s the truth: hiring an attorney quickly comes free.
Personal injury lawyers don’t get paid unless you do. Attorneys also work on contingency, which means you don’t pay unless you win.
Hiring an attorney quickly allows them to begin gathering evidence and demanding fair offers right away.
Insurers love to low-ball accident victims. Getting an attorney involved as soon as possible can help stop those offers in their tracks.
They’ll also ensure that you don’t sell yourself short by waiting too long to hire an attorney.
The old adage that you should hire an attorney when injuries or fault are disputed is true. But, now you know there’s more to the story.
Wrapping Up…Finally
Now that we got the boring stuff out of the way let’s recap.
Knowing when NOT to hire an attorney is easy.
But knowing when to get one is important. Here’s your cheat sheet:
- Fault is being disputed? Hire a lawyer.
- Injuries are more than minor? Hire a lawyer.
- Insurer’s offer is lower than damages? You get it.
Hiring an attorney increases your chances of winning and recovering maximum compensation. Don’t make the mistake of joining the 49% who don’t hire one and settle for less.
