After being injured in any type of motor vehicle crash, one of the first questions that will come to your mind will be, “Should I hire a personal injury lawyer?” Hiring an attorney is an important decision. However, depending on the nature of the accident and injuries at issue, sometimes it may not be necessary to hire an attorney. Our Columbus personal injury lawyers have compiled a brief list of things to consider when it comes to deciding whether you need to hire an attorney for a car crash, motorcycle crash, or any other type of mishap.
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Extent of your injuries:
If you have sustained serious injuries in an accident that will require long term care or potentially cause permanent disability, then you should hire a personal injury lawyer. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to reasonably calculate the value of your claim and will be able to navigate the various legal issues that will certainly arise in the pursuit of the claim. When one of our clients is severely injured, we typically work with various experts, such as physicians, life care planners, and economists, to calculate the future losses that our client will suffer as a result of the accident. On the flip side, if you have only suffered minor injuries that healed quickly and required minimal medical treatment, then it may not be necessary to hire a lawyer because there is not as much at stake in the claim.
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Insurance company disputes:
If the other driver’s insurer refuses to take responsibility for the accident, then it is probably necessary to hire a lawyer. An injury attorney may gather evidence that you need to prove your claim and make a recovery.
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Multiple parties involved:
When multiple parties are involved in a motor vehicle crash, the claim can become very complicated. For example, when multiple parties are injured in a crash, there may not be enough insurance money to fully compensate the victims, and a fight may ensue between the injured parties as to who gets what from the settlement money. You could also be subject to counterclaims by other parties in a multiple party accident. An experienced personal injury lawyer can protect your interests in such a situation.
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Inadequate insurance coverage:
In the event that the at-fault driver either has no insurance or inadequate insurance, it is likely necessary to retain a lawyer to make sure that you properly pursue an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim through your own insurance company. Certain, specific steps must be taken in such a unique legal situation. Failure to comply with these steps may serve to bar the claim and cost you significantly.
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Health insurer pays much of your medical bills:
Your health insurance company will usually have a claim to recover the money it has paid on your behalf for medical bills out of the settlement or jury verdict that you receive. This is known as subrogation. Unfortunately, the law is quite favorable to health insurance companies on the issue of subrogation, and your health insurer may try to take all or most of the settlement money that you receive, regardless of how badly you were injured. If there is a significant subrogation claim, it is likely necessary to hire an attorney to help reduce the subrogation claim as much as possible.
Choose a Winning Team of Columbus Car Accident Attorneys
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle crash, please give our injury lawyers at Rourke & Blumenthal a call by dialing (614) 321-3212 to discuss your legal options. We will give you an honest, no-cost evaluation of your claim and provide you with the necessary information to determine if you need to hire an attorney to proceed. Your best interests are always the top priority. Contact us today to begin.