If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you need to hire a personal injury attorney. Even if it seems that the accident is entirely your fault, you may still be entitled to compensation.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 12 months and 54 years. According to the CDC, more than 2 million people are injured in car crashes every year. While injuries vary in severity, all of them are capable of reducing the victim’s quality of life.
No matter how minor your injuries are, you may need an attorney. At Pacific West Injury Law, we can help you get the compensation you need.
Call if You’ve Sustained Injuries of Any Kind
If you’ve been in a car accident and suffered injuries, you need to call an attorney. The faster you contact a car accident lawyer, the easier it will be to prove your case. Right after the accident, an attorney will:
- Tell you how to act in the first minutes after the crash.
- Keep you from making mistakes that can affect your case in the future.
- Assist with gathering evidence.
When you sustain an injury during a car crash, it’s easy to feel lost. A phone call to a lawyer can help you get your bearings and relieve some of the accident-related stress.
Delayed Symptoms
Minor accidents can lead to serious injuries that don’t become obvious until several days after the crash. For example, whiplash can occur during a simple fender-bender when cars don’t travel faster than 5 mph and manifest a day or two after the accident.
That’s why it’s important to wait a few days before making any decisions. As soon symptoms appear, contact an attorney. Common delayed symptoms can include:
- Headaches – could signal blood clots, head and neck injury, and serious concussions.
- Neck and shoulder pain or stiffness – symptoms of whiplash.
- Back pain – could signal a spinal injury, sprain, herniated disc, soft tissue injury, or whiplash.
- Numbness – a lack of sensation could signal whiplash.
- Abdominal pain – could be a sign of internal injuries and bleeding.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – can easily occur several days after the accident
Keep an eye on your condition for several days after the accident and contact your attorney as soon as any of the above symptoms occur.
Call If a Loved One Died from Accident-Related Injuries
If your loved one died due to injuries sustained in a car accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. When it comes to personal injury and wrongful death claims, negligence may not always be straightforward. When several parties are responsible for the accident, the compensation is awarded based on the comparative liability law.
Nevada’s comparative liability law states that you are entitled to damages if your fault in the accident is less than 51%. When the fault is less than 51%, the damage amount is proportional to the percentage of your liability.
For example, if the judge finds that your fault is 30%, you will receive 70% of the compensation amount. That’s why it’s imperative to speak to an attorney even if you think that you or your loved one may have been responsible for the accident.
Call If You Aren’t Satisfied with the Settlement Offer
Even if the negligence in the car accident is straightforward, an insurance company can still try to minimize the settlement offer. This is especially common with catastrophic injuries but can occur with small settlement amounts as well.
It’s never too late to hire an attorney. Even if you’ve decided to pursue a claim on your own, it doesn’t mean you must go through tough negotiations alone. When you feel that the insurance company is trying to lowball you, contact an attorney. There is still time to turn the case around.
Call If Your Case Is Going to Court
If negotiations with the insurance company aren’t going as well as you hoped, you may need to take the case to court. This involves a substantial amount of paperwork, appearing in front of a judge, and many other nuances that can be tough to handle on your own.
An experienced car accident attorney doesn’t just help you get the compensation you deserve, they help minimize trial-associated stress.
An Attorney Can Even Help After a Minor Car Accident
In some cases, you may think you may not need to hire an attorney after a crash, but an attorney can actually still help. These situations include:
Even if you like the settlement offer, for instance, a lawyer may be able to get you more. And while you aren’t obligated to hire an attorney in Nevada to pursue a personal injury claim, when it comes to car accidents liability isn’t always straightforward. So even if you think that the settlement offer is fair or that you are capable of handling a claim without an attorney, it may not always be the case.
To make sure you get what you deserve, consider consulting an experienced car accident lawyer. You may be surprised to learn how easy it is to miss important details.
Work with One of Our Experienced Car Accident Attorneys Today
The best time to get a car accident attorney is right after the crash. Even if you think that the accident is entirely your fault or feel like you aren’t injured, you may still need a lawyer. With expert assistance, you can get the compensation you deserve.
At Pacific West Injury Law, we have a team of experienced personal injury attorneys who work hard to achieve fair settlements for car accident victims. If you’ve been injured in a car crash, contact us at any convenient time.