Whether your accident happened a few hours ago or a few weeks ago, there is a good chance that you will eventually need to get a personal injury attorney involved.
If you are wondering whether it is time to call an attorney, the answer is YES. With free consultations and no upfront fees, there is never a disadvantage to at least talking to an attorney at JV LAW GROUP about your personal injury – the sooner, the better.
When Do Most People Call an Attorney?
If you are like most, you might not think to call an attorney right away when you suffer a persoanl injury. It often takes one of three situations for accident victims to decide they need help:
Realizing You Have Serious Injuries:
You may feel fine or just a little sore; however, for some personal injury victims, the injuries and pain may not be debilitating until a few weeks after the accident.
When You Feel Overwhelmed:
Feeling frustrated by all of the time-consuming tasks you now have to do. The paperwork. The phone calls. The hassle. It does not take long for dealing with a persoanl injury accident to become overwhelming.
When Your Family’s Finances Take a Hit:
One thing is for sure – dealing with an accident can get expensive. You might not realize just how expensive at first. But even if you chose the smallest possible deductibles on your insurance policy, you are looking at thousands of dollars of expenses you were not planning for.
- Property damage. Even if the accident was completely the other driver’s fault, you will have to pay for the car repairs yourself if you only have liability coverage insurance. Or, if you have full coverage insurance, you will have to pay your deductible if you go through your own insurance company. And if not, you could be stuck waiting for weeks while the insurance company completes its liability investigation.
- Medical expenses. Sure, you may have health insurance, but it does not cover everything. Also, some health insurance policies have a deductible that could range from a couple hundred bucks to a couple thousand. For example, if you are responsible for 20 percent copays of the first $5,000 of medical bills, your out-of-pocket medical costs will add up when your treatment goes on for weeks or months.
- Loss of wages. As if these unexpected costs were not bad enough, your injuries might keep you out of work. Your family depends on your income, and now it has suddenly stopped – but your bills have not.
- A lot of accident victims only realize they need to call a personal injury attorney when they begin to see the financial and emotional toll the accident is taking on their lives and the lives of their family. Your life is already unpredictable enough right now – when you cannot afford to sacrifice your financial stability, it is time to get help.
When Is the Best Time to Call an Attorney?
If the accident is not your fault, you should act NOW. Every day you wait to get an attorney involved in your case puts your claim at risk. Here is why:
Deadlines. Did you know that your legal rights have an expiration date? If you wait too long to start your claim, an attorney may not be able to help you.
Evidence. You need to prove that the other person involved is at fault for the injuries. You also must prove that your injuries are as serious as you say they are. But the evidence that supports your claim might not last forever. When you wait to get an attorney involved, you are letting evidence slip away.
- Dangerous property conditions get fixed
- Video surveillance footage is erased
- Witnesses forget the events of an accident that did not affect them personally
The sooner you get an attorney involved, the sooner he or she can begin investigating your accident and gather the evidence your case needs – before it is too late.
Building your case. Every accident is different. Having years of experience handling personal injury claims means we have a lot of knowledge to draw from. But to give your case the individualized attention it deserves, we need time to work on it. The earlier you call an attorney, the earlier we can begin building your case for success.
Remember, Doctors can guide you toward physical recovery, but you will need the help of an attorney to get you the compensation you deserve – especially if your injuries are severe enough that your life will never be the same.
If you have any questions or need legal advice, please feel free to contact JV LAW GROUP today at 714-752-3270 or send us an email info@jvlawgroup.com.
