In the immediate aftermath of any type of accident, your body is going to release a blast of adrenaline that is meant to protect you if you decide to “flee the danger area.” In truth, you’re not going anywhere until things get sorted out. That means assessing any property damage or injuries.
In those same early aftermath moments, you might also establish who caused the accident.
If it happened because of someone else’s negligent actions, you need to think about speaking with an experienced Charleston personal injury attorney right away. The legal advice presented by that lawyer can help you make an informed decision about all the available options to pursue a claim against the at-fault person.
Bottom line: When should you contact a lawyer after an accident? As soon as possible.
The Immediate Benefits of Early Legal Intervention
One of the more important immediate benefits of early legal intervention in a personal injury claim is the preservation of evidence. Your car accident attorney will be able to act swiftly to secure vital physical evidence such as dashcam footage, traffic surveillance videos, and police crash reports.
They can also have witnesses provide affidavits before their memories of the incident begin to fade.
Retaining legal counsel also provides protection against insurers. Your attorney will take over all the communications from the insurance company and prevent an adjustor from making recorded statements from you that could minimize your claims.
Most importantly, individuals who hire lawyers early on will often receive higher compensation.
That’s because an experienced attorney knows all of the relevant economic and non-economic damages to calculate. They might present you with items you hadn’t thought could be included in your claim.
Working with a lawyer early in the process also provides you with a reliable, trusted source of information. You can get all your questions about the progress of your claim answered.
Signs Your Accident Requires Professional Legal Representation
Consider this scenario: You get into a minor fender bender accident. You and the other driver don’t appear to be injured, and the damage is minimal, but you exchange information anyway. Days later, you receive a letter demanding you pay for all kinds of medical expenses and car repairs in an accident that might not even be your fault.
An attorney can shield you from frivolous accusations and unfair demands.
There are certain circumstances in which your accident requires immediate professional legal representation. These are the key signs you need to hire a personal injury attorney ASAP:
- Serious or Permanent Injuries
- Disputed Liability
- Aggressive Insurance Tactics
- Significant Financial Losses
You also need an attorney when you’re involved in complex accidents, such as a collision with a commercial truck. With that type of case, there could be additional liable parties such as the trucking company or cargo loaders. A skilled attorney can help identify all the liable parties in the pursuit of your maximum compensation.
How Insurance Adjusters Use Delays Against Your Claim
The longer an insurance company can keep assets on its books, the better it looks on its bottom line. That is why insurance adjusters will often deploy delay tactics that hold up your rightful payments or perhaps frustrate you to the point of giving up.
A supportive attorney won’t let you give up.
These are some of the common delay tactics that your attorney will recognize and fight against:
- Endless document requests
- Ignoring communications
- Reassigning adjusters
- Unnecessary investigations
- Blaming system backlogs
Those tactics could mean a delay of weeks if not months before you’re awarded what you’re due.
Your attorney will keep the process moving toward a quick resolution.
The Role of a Lawyer in Assessing Total Financial Impact
Your attorney is going to play a crucial role in calculating the entirety of the damages you are owed in your personal injury claim.
They will be able to gather all the relevant documentation that firmly establishes all the medical expenses associated with your injuries. That includes every exam, prescription, surgery, physical therapy session, and medical supplies.
Your attorney is also going to pull together your salary information to ensure you are compensated for any lost wages. If your injuries prevent you from returning to the job, then your future earnings have to be factored into the final settlement number as well. Additionally, a skilled personal accident lawyer can help you calculate your pain and suffering.
How has the accident injury impacted your quality of life?
To come up with that number, your attorney can apply the accepted multiplier method that assigns a number from 1 to 5 based on the severity of your injuries and multiplies that number by all your economic damages.
It is a lot of work to get the settlement number right, but it will be worth the effort when your family’s finances are secure.
Navigating Complex West Virginia Liability Laws and Deadlines
According to the West Virginia Code, you have two years from the day of the accident to file a civil lawsuit. Before that claim can be filed with the civil court, you have to go through the initial claims process with the insurer.
Only after that insurer denies or makes a lowball settlement offer would your attorney recommend filing a lawsuit. That is when they switch from being a negotiator to a litigator.
There is also West Virginia’s modified comparative fault rule to consider. With that law, you are only entitled to seek compensation for an accident if you are less than 50% at fault for the accident.
If you’re assigned any percentage of blame, your final settlement number will be reduced.
Your attorney will strive to keep that from happening.
Preparing for Your Initial Consultation with Forbes Law Offices
Your initial consultation with Forbes Law Offices is an important opportunity to discuss what happened in your accident and explore all the possible options for pursuing a personal injury claim.
The more information you can provide during this meeting, the more effectively our legal team can assess the claim. To make the most of your consultation, it helps to bring any documentation related to your accident and injuries.
This may include:
- Police or incident reports
- Photos or videos from the accident scene
- Medical records and discharge paperwork
- Bills for medical treatment or prescriptions
- Insurance correspondence or claim numbers
- Contact information for witnesses
- Pay stubs or documentation showing lost wages
Even if you don’t have every document available, bring whatever you can.
Your first consultation is also your chance to ask questions. You can learn about the West Virginia injury claim process, and we can discuss any obvious challenges you might face.
We want to present you with an honest assessment of your claim.
If we decide to work together, it will be because we’re confident of the outcome. By taking the time to prepare for your initial free consultation, Forbes Law Offices, PLLC can provide you with a clear way forward.
