If you were injured in a car accident, it is worth speaking with a lawyer early on. While some minor accidents can be handled directly with the insurance company, more serious collisions can involve medical bills, lost wages, disputed fault, and insurance companies that may not offer fair compensation.
At Mezrano® Injury Lawyers, we help accident victims understand their legal options and what their claim may be worth. Getting legal advice early can help protect your rights, avoid costly mistakes, and make sure you understand what to expect throughout the claims process.
Whether you should get a lawyer after a car accident depends on your circumstances, the severity of your injuries, and how the insurance company is handling your claim. Learn more about the situations where having a car accident attorney on your side can make a meaningful difference.
Key Takeaways
- Seek legal advice early if you have serious or ongoing injuries, fault is disputed, or the insurer denies, delays, or undervalues your claim.
- A car accident lawyer can gather records and video, interview witnesses, consult experts, and negotiate with insurers.
- Early help can preserve evidence and reduce the risk of admitting fault or accepting an inadequate settlement.
- Most attorneys work on contingency, so you generally pay no upfront fee, and the lawyer gets paid only if you recover compensation.
- Alabama’s two-year filing deadline and strict contributory-negligence rule are important, as contributing to the accident can bar recovery entirely.
When Should You Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident?
Speaking with a lawyer as soon as possible after a car accident helps you understand your rights. An attorney can provide guidance on preserving evidence. A lawyer is especially beneficial if your car accident involved any of the following factors:
- You suffered serious injuries
- Your injuries require ongoing or future medical treatment
- The insurance company claims you were at fault
- Your claim is denied, delayed, or otherwise disputed by the insurance company
- You received a settlement offer soon after the accident
- The accident involved multiple vehicles or more than one potentially responsible party
- There is a dispute over how the accident happened or who should pay for your damages
- You are unsure whether the settlement being offered will cover your current and future losses
Our seasoned attorneys can review your accident and help explain your legal options and the value of your claim.
What Can a Car Accident Lawyer Do for You?
After a collision, dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, and paperwork can be stressful. A Mezrano® car accident lawyer can handle much of this work for you and help protect your claim, allowing you to focus on healing from your injuries. We care deeply about our clients and want to ease your stress and anxiety.
Collecting Evidence
Evidence is an important part of any car accident claim. Your lawyer will gather the documents and records needed to show what happened and how the accident affected you. In more complicated cases, they may also work with experts, obtain video footage, speak with witnesses, or use accident reconstruction.
If you received medical care after your accident, there are likely medical records and expenses. Your attorney can help you organize your medical records and receipts to help support your claim by showing the extent of damages you sustained.
Investigations
After reviewing your case details, further investigation may be required. This may include further investigation into your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, property damage, insurance coverage, and the responsible party.
Negotiations
If the insurance company makes a settlement offer, your lawyer can review it and negotiate on your behalf. If they refuse to offer a fair settlement, your attorney will discuss with you whether filing a lawsuit makes sense. Most car accident claims settle without going to trial. If your case does go to court, your lawyer can handle the legal process, including negotiations, mediation, gathering information from the other side, and presenting your case at trial.
Benefits of Early Representation
Having a car accident attorney represent you early on provides multiple advantages. Securing an attorney immediately after a car accident is critical to preserving evidence, such as skid marks and vehicle positioning, which may be transient and lose probative value over time.
Early representation ensures evidence is collected and recorded accurately, which can be crucial in proving fault and liability in a car accident claim. An attorney provides invaluable guidance from the outset when dealing with complex legal and procedural issues in car accident claims. They also help prevent the client from making common mistakes such as inadvertently admitting fault or agreeing to a quick settlement that undervalues the claim.
Furthermore, attorneys can leverage their experience and knowledge to negotiate more effectively with insurance companies, often resulting in more favorable settlements for the client when involved early in the process.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Most car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you typically do not pay anything up front. Instead, the lawyer receives a fee if they recover compensation for you through a settlement or verdict.
The exact fee and any additional costs should be explained in a written agreement before you hire an attorney. The agreement should also outline the lawyer’s fees, other expenses, and your responsibilities. You remain in control of important decisions, including whether to accept a settlement. If you are concerned about the cost of hiring a lawyer, ask about the fee structure during your initial consultation.
Free Consultations and Hiring a Lawyer
Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations. During this initial meeting, you can ask any questions you have about the firm, including their work with similar cases and clients in the past, success rates, and trial experience.
They will review the details of your case and any evidence and documentation you have collected, such as medical records and settlement offers from insurers. The attorney should be able to give you an estimate of the value of your case or at least whether you have a proper claim to pursue compensation.
Once you and the attorney decide to work together, you will be asked to sign a retainer agreement that includes information about your contingency agreement and explains how your attorney fees will be paid in a contingency fee agreement.
What Happens After You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
After you hire an attorney, your lawyer will launch an investigation into your case, begin collecting evidence for a claim, and handle communications with insurers, including negotiating a settlement.
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney might recommend taking the case to trial, which can put additional pressure on the insurer to resolve the claim.
How Long Do You Have To Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
In Alabama, you generally have two years from the date of a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under Alabama Code § 6-2-38. This statute of limitations applies to most claims involving injury to another person. However, that does not mean you should wait two years to contact a lawyer. Speaking with an attorney soon after an accident gives them more time to gather evidence, review your medical records, investigate what happened, and deal with the insurance company.
Understanding Alabama’s deadlines for different types of claims matters. For example, a wrongful death action generally must be filed within two years of the person’s death rather than when the incident occurred, per Alabama Code § 6-2-38 and § 6-5-410.
Because exceptions and different deadlines may apply depending on the circumstances, it is a good idea to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. Waiting too long could put your ability to pursue compensation at risk.
Why Alabama’s Contributory Negligence Rule Matters
Alabama uses a pure contributory negligence system when assessing fault for a car accident. Under this strict rule, an injured person cannot recover compensation if they contributed to the accident in any way. For example, if the other driver was mostly responsible but you also played a role in the crash, you could be barred from recovering damages.
Because even a small dispute over fault can affect your ability to recover compensation, be careful when speaking with an insurance company after an accident. Any statements you make could be used against you as an admission of fault. Instead, speak with an attorney who can review the evidence, determine how to argue fault, and help protect your claim.
Call an Experienced Attorney To Discuss Your Car Accident Claim Today
If you were injured in a car accident, you do not have to handle the insurance company or legal process on your own. Mezrano® Injury Lawyers can review your case, explain your options, and help you understand your next steps. Contact our law office today at 205-537-0112 to schedule a free consultation and discuss your car accident claim.
