You can be rear-ended while you are waiting for a stoplight to change, while you are slowly driving through a crowded parking lot, or even while you are traveling at high speed on an interstate or freeway. Whatever the location, being rear-ended is a jarring and potentially life-altering experience, especially if it leads to you incurring unexpected financial, physical, and personal losses.
You are probably wondering if you should get a lawyer if you were rear-ended. Although no two car accident claims are alike, there are some key questions you should consider when deciding whether or not to enlist the help of an attorney.
Not all rear-end car accidents are serious enough to warrant significant legal action. For example, if you were involved in a fender-bender that just caused minor cosmetic damage to the vehicles involved, you may be able to handle the insurance claims process yourself. If you need to pay for substantial repairs or have your car completely replaced after a rear-end collision, however, help from legal counsel will be crucial to getting the reimbursement you deserve.
You may not need to hire a lawyer or file suit against the person who rear-ended you if you did not suffer any injuries serious enough to need professional medical care. However, even if you think your injuries are minor, you should always visit your primary care physician or an urgent care doctor after a crash like this. If you did sustain physical trauma, an attorney can help ensure you get restitution for your medical bills.
If the driver who hit the back of your vehicle does not have enough insurance to cover your losses or does not have any insurance at all, you should strongly consider enlisting an attorney’s help with finding other avenues for financial recovery. You should also check whether you live in a fault or no-fault state, since that can affect your right to sue depending on what type of insurance coverage you have.
One last thing to consider about rear-end wrecks is that the rearmost driver is not automatically at fault for the frontmost driver’s injuries. In addition to proving that the other driver was to blame, you may need to prove you were not at fault yourself in order to maximize your financial recovery. Legal counsel can provide invaluable assistance with this process after a rear-end crash.
Even if you only have a few questions about whether or not to hire a lawyer after being rear-ended, the Phillips Law Group team can provide the answers and information you need during a free, no-obligation consultation. Call today to schedule a meeting.
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