A:

Whether or not you need to hire an attorney depends on fault, insurance coverage, and the extent of your injuries.

Many people have small “fender-benders” and walk away injury free. Likewise, some people are injured and the injury resolves itself within just a few weeks with little or no medical intervention. As a rule of thumb, if you were involved in a small “fender-bender” and had only minor pain or injuries, you can try to initially handle the claim yourself. In many instances we will tell people that they are better off handling their own claim for one reason or another.

However, there are also people involved in “fender-benders” who suffer a traumatic brain injury, a whiplash type of soft tissue injury or other life-changing injuries. Remember: minimum visible damage to a vehicle does not necessarily mean that there is a minimal injury.

The complexity of modern day litigation and medicine— and the unwillingness of insurance companies to pay a fair price for the sometimes horrible and life-changing injuries that people suffer at the hands of negligent drivers—makes it more likely that you will need to hire a lawyer if you have suffered major injuries in a car crash. Simply put, the more disastrous your injury, the less likely it is that you will get a reasonable and fair resolution from an insurance company without hiring a lawyer. The best course of action when your injuries are serious or when your bills are starting to add up is to seek the informed opinion of an experienced personal injury attorney. The insurance companies will always have a lawyer, why shouldn’t you?