After a car accident, many people assume that if there are no visible injuries to your person or damage to your vehicle, you don’t need to take further action.
However, even if the crash seems minor or there’s no immediate harm, contacting a personal injury lawyer is still a smart decision. Many people underestimate the long-term consequences of an accident and the complexities of insurance claims.
In this blog post, we’ll explain five big reasons why you should waste no time contacting a personal injury immediately after your accident, even if you don’t think you’ve been injured or your car hasn’t sustained any damages.
If you are worried about having the money for an attorney, you should know that most car accident attorneys offer free initial consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay the attorney if they recover money for you. Read our blog post “Personal Injury Contingency Fees” to learn more about the arrangement.
So, why not pick up the phone and have a conversation?
1. Injuries May Not Appear Right Away
One of the most important reasons to consult with an attorney after a car accident is that injuries may not be immediately apparent. It’s common for people to feel okay right after a crash due to the adrenaline rush; however, symptoms of common accident-related injuries, such as whiplash and concussions, can take days or even weeks to surface.
Your lawyer will advise you to seek medical attention and ensure your injuries are properly documented for any future claims. Most auto insurance policies will have personal injury protection (PIL) and bodily injury liability (BIL), which cover your medical expenses up to a certain dollar amount. Read our blog post, “What is Personal Injury Protection for Auto Insurance” to learn more about PIL coverage.
2. Hidden Vehicle Damage Can Lead to Costly Repairs
Even if your car looks fine after the accident, hidden damages may exist beneath the surface. A seemingly minor fender bender could still cause damage to the frame, suspension, or internal components like the transmission, which could lead to costly repairs down the road.
You’ll only know the real damage if a licensed mechanic inspects your vehicle. Sometimes, these issues don’t become apparent until weeks or months later when your car shows signs of malfunction.
After consulting with your attorney, they can guide you on how to properly get your vehicle thoroughly inspected and file all claims for repairs. Your lawyer can help negotiate with the insurance company to get the full value of repairs covered, recommend mechanics or body shops to assess the damage more thoroughly, and advocate for future repairs & maintenance if hidden damage becomes apparent after an initial insurance claim is closed.
3. Insurance Companies Don’t Always Act in Your Best Interest
One of the greatest challenges and headaches after a car accident is dealing with automobile insurance companies. Most people will only have to deal with an auto insurance company a few times during their lifetime, so its okay if you feel overwhelmed or inexperienced. On the contrary, personal injury lawyers deal with insurance companies every day of the week, so they are better equipped to take this fight on your behalf.
While insurance adjusters may seem helpful, they are ultimately working to minimize payouts to protect the insurance company’s financial interests.
Your attorney can help you review your policy and ensure you know the benefits and protections available to you. They can negotiate directly with the insurance companies to ensure you recover a fair and reasonable amount of money to cover your unpaid medical expenses and repairs to your vehicle.
It’s also important to remember that regardless of whether the accident occurs in a “no-fault” or “at fault” state, proving negligence is still relevant to the case. Your attorney can work with you to demonstrate the other party’s negligence during the accident, which can help your fight against the other party’s insurance company.
4. Don’t Miss Important Deadlines
Each state has a statute of limitations to file a lawsuit in court. If you miss these important deadlines, the court may dismiss your case and prevent you from filing a claim and recovering any future compensation.
For example, in Florida, the statute of limitations for filing an auto accident claim is two years after the crash date. The deadline used to be 4 years, but Florida recently modified its statutes to reduce the statute of limitations timeline. Although two years may seem like a long time, building a strong and complete case can take a while, so you’ll want to get started as soon as possible.
Remember that the longer you wait to get started, the more difficult it is to gather evidence for your claim. For example, suppose there is surveillance video that captured the car accident. Most companies with surveillance footage will delete it within a few days to several weeks, so if you wait too long to contact them, the evidence is gone forever.
Other deadlines may also apply. For example, Florida insurance laws require you to seek medical treatment within 14 days of the crash to leverage the PIP coverage under an auto insurance policy. If you wait too long to seek medical care following the accident, getting reimbursed for medical expenses under the policy can be challenging.
5. The Other Driver May Blame You For the Accident Later
Even if it seems the other driver was clearly at fault at the time of the accident, things can change as details come to light. Other drivers or their insurance companies might later try to claim that you were the negligent person, which could limit your claim or deny it altogether.
Once you speak with your injury lawyer after the accident, they will put together a plan of action to gather the evidence and demonstrate your innocence and the other party’s negligence. Your attorney can also work directly with the other party’s insurance company to protect your interests and counter any accusations made by the other driver.
Final Thoughts
Even if a car accident appears minor with no immediate injuries or damage, taking all precautions to protect yourself is essential. Always contact the police after an accident to obtain a police report and collect all available evidence, including information on the drivers, witnesses, damage assessments, pictures, etc.
Once you’ve contacted the police and sought medical care, contact an attorney to discuss your case immediately. Check out our blog post “Top 5 Things to Consider When Picking a Personal Injury Lawyer” for a guide on how to find good representation. In the end, having legal representation can make all the difference in the outcome of your case, no matter how small the accident may seem at first.