After a car accident, you will have to deal with injuries, property damage, and medical bills. Additionally, the insurance company will want to pay you as little as possible or even deny your claim. The financial pressure of your increasing medical bills and the other driver filing a car accident claim against you can be overwhelming. In fact, all that pressure can cause you to make a costly mistake by accepting a settlement quickly. Consulting a New Bedford auto accident lawyer before making major decisions about your car accident case is crucial. Insurance companies have their own team of lawyers so going up against them without any experience isn’t a wise move. We are going to look at situations where you might need to hire a lawyer and when it isn’t necessary to do so.
When Should You Hire an Auto Accident Lawyer in New Bedford?
You Don’t Know What the Insurance Policy Limit Is
Massachusetts is a no-fault state. This means that your insurer will pay for the damages regardless of who or what caused the accident. Massachusetts legally obligates all car owners to purchase these policies:
- Bodily injury to others. The minimum is $20, 000 per person.
- Property damage. The minimum is $5000.
- Bodily injury caused by an uninsured driver. The minimum is $20,000 per person.
- Personal injury protection.
Most of the time the minimum auto coverage is not enough and car owners prefer to purchase additional coverage. If you do not know what the other driver’s maximum coverage is, you may end up settling for a very low settlement. Finding out their policy limit can also be a challenge and you might need the help of a New Bedford car accident attorney to get this information for you.
You Suffered Serious Injuries or There Was a Wrongful Death
Some serious injuries are not noticeable until much later. For instance, a traumatic brain injury may go undetected in an emergency room only for your symptoms to become worse over time. This is why we always emphasize car accident victims should always document their injuries to avoid losing their right to recover.
We have seen insurance companies attempt to deny coverage by claiming that the plaintiff’s injuries are not as severe as they claim or they had a pre-existing condition. If you lost a loved one due to another driver’s negligence, you might want to file a wrongful death lawsuit. For such cases, it’s important to hire an experienced auto accident lawyer in New Bedford to avoid making costly mistakes.
The Insurance Company Denied Your Claim or is Acting in Bad Faith
Your insurer could be engaging in bad practices if they:
- Don’t communicate
- Deny a claim without cause
- Pressure you into accepting an unfair offer
- Cancel or change your policy
Having difficulty with an insurer can be frustrating and the best solution is to hire a car accident lawyer who will ensure you get fair and full compensation.
When Should You Not Hire an Auto Accident Lawyer?
There are situations where you do not need to hire an auto accident lawyer and they include:
There Were No Injuries
First, you must ensure that indeed there are no injuries by getting a medical examination to determine this. If your doctor concludes there are no injuries, then it may not be worthwhile to pursue a claim with an attorney. If there is property damage, it’s much easier to deal with the insurance company because they can get a quote for damage repairs from their own car shop connections.
The Recovery is Small
If the recovery is small, you can proceed to a small claims court without legal counsel. This is because your attorney will charge you lawyer fees instead of contingency fees. If your lawyer agrees to work on a contingency fee basis, they would take about a third of whatever settlement you get. It’s really not worth the hassle for such a small recovery amount.
Is it Worth Hiring a New Bedford Auto Accident Lawyer?
The simple answer is yes, especially if you suffered serious injuries. An auto accident lawyer in New Bedford can ensure you get maximum compensation for your injuries while you rest and recover. Our lawyers at Kevin P Landry Law Firm are available for free consultations 24/7. Get in touch with us today and find out how much your case is worth.
