Do I Really Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

When you get injured in a crash, one of the first questions you might ask is whether you really need a lawyer after a car accident to help you. There are several important decisions you need to make during this time, and choosing whether to hire a lawyer is one of the biggest. If you have a car accident claim, is it worth bringing in legal help? Or can you safely handle your claim on your own?

7 Important Reasons to Hire a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Arkansas

While you aren’t legally required to hire a lawyer after a car accident in Arkansas, there are several important reasons to put an experienced lawyer on your side. Here are seven examples:

1. You Need to Know What Claim (or Claims) You Can File 

If you are dealing with accident-related injuries, you need to know what claim (or claims) you are eligible to file. Filing any type of claim requires proof of what happened—and this makes it important to conduct a thorough investigation (both on-scene and off-scene) as soon as possible. 

While you might have a claim with the other driver’s insurance company, you could have other claims as well. If you don’t file the right claim (or claims) after your car accident, you won’t be able to recover the financial compensation you deserve. 

2. You Need to Be Prepared to Deal with Accusations of Partial (or Full) Fault 

Regardless of the claim (or claims) you are eligible to file, you need to be prepared to deal with accusations that you were partially (or fully) responsible for causing the accident. This is a common insurance defense tactic—and, if you aren’t prepared to prove why the accident happened, this could also lead to the denial of your claim. Under Arkansas law, being partially at fault in a car accident can either reduce the value of your claim or lead to a denial if you are accused of being 50% or more at fault in the collision. 

3. You Need to Know What the Accident is Going to Cost You 

Another critical way an experienced lawyer can help you after a car accident is by determining the long-term costs of your accident-related injuries. If you can’t prove how much your injuries are going to cost you in the future, this can also prevent you from recovering the full compensation you deserve. 

4. You Need to Calculate Compensation for Your Non-Financial Losses

The same applies to your non-financial losses resulting from the collision. If you have a claim, you are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and various other forms of non-financial loss. Determining what constitutes fair compensation for these losses—and proving what constitutes fair compensation for these losses—requires in-depth knowledge of Arkansas law. Calling a lawyer after a car accident can help ensure you are pursuing the maximum compensation to which you may be entitled.

5. You Need to Make an Informed Decision About When (and If) to Settle 

Let’s say you file an insurance claim on your own, and let’s say the insurance company offers a settlement. How do you know whether you should accept?

Unless you know how much you are entitled to recover for your long-term financial and non-financial losses, you won’t be able to make an informed decision. The insurance companies know this, and this means that they will usually offer car accident victims far less than they deserve. 

6. Hiring a Lawyer After a Car Accident Costs Nothing Out-of-Pocket

Another reason to hire a lawyer after a car accident is that it costs you nothing out of pocket. In this scenario, you can hire a lawyer on a contingency-fee basis. This means that you will only incur legal fees if your lawyer helps you recover just compensation. If your case is unsuccessful for any reason, you will owe nothing.

7. Hiring a Lawyer After a  Car Accident Can Help Maximize Your Take-Home Recovery 

Finally, not only does hiring a lawyer cost you nothing out of pocket, but it can also help maximize your take-home recovery. While there are no guarantees, by working with a lawyer after a car accident to calculate the full value of your claim and ensure that you are making informed decisions about settlement, you may be able to recover compensation far in excess of what you would be able to recover on your own. 

Discuss Your Claim with an Experienced Arkansas Car Accident Lawyer for FREE 

At Oliver Law Firm, we help car accident victims in Arkansas fight for the full compensation they deserve. If you would like to know more about how our Arkansas car accident lawyers can help you, we invite you to get in touch. 

Contact Oliver Law Firm today online or at (479) 202-5200 for a FREE case evaluation. We serve clients across Arkansas and throughout the United States from our office in Rogers, AR.