Car accident victims in Baltimore are sometimes reluctant to hire an attorney because they come at a cost. However, while some people can handle their insurance claims alone, others need a lawyer if they want to get compensation. If you’re wondering which category you fall into, this article is for you. Not having legal representation can make it difficult or impossible to recover damages in some circumstances. Let our Baltimore car accident attorneys help you today.

You Have Serious Injuries

If you were badly hurt, it’s best to hire an attorney to handle your affairs. You’ll likely need ongoing treatment and if you can’t work for a long time, your losses will be substantial. Head, back, and spinal injuries often result in large payouts but you may not be treated fairly if you don’t have a lawyer. The insurance company will not want to pay the full value of your claim and you may even find it difficult to quantify all your losses. Instead of trying to handle everything on your own, you should hire someone who will look out for your interests.

Liability is in Dispute

If the other party’s insurance company is blaming you for the accident and you don’t think you’re at fault, hire a lawyer. Insurance companies are always looking for reasons to deny claims. In Maryland, you can’t get compensation if you contributed to the accident in any way. That’s because the state follows a pure contributory negligence system.

Most states have comparative negligence laws that allow compensation even if the victim is somewhat a fault. When you hire an attorney, they will look into the accident and examine all the available evidence to determine who should be held liable.

You Can’t Quite Figure Out Your Damages

You have the option of filing an insurance claim or lawsuit on your own but you’ll need to follow the right procedures. It will be easy enough to add up how much money you’ve spent on medical bills so far. However, it will harder to project your future medical expenses and how much income you’ll lose. You may also be confused about how to put a dollar value on pain and suffering. You shouldn’t have to deal with any of this when you’re trying to recover from serious injuries. The insurance company will have a team of lawyers and other experts, so you also need someone knowledgeable to represent you.

There Are Multiple Parties Involved

You should always hire a Baltimore car accident lawyer if you were involved in a multi-vehicle smash-up. Claims emanating from these collisions are often complicated and there will be multiple insurance companies and lawyers involved. This is likely to be too much to handle alone. The sooner you can get an attorney working on your case, the better it will be.

An Insurance Company Made You an Offer That Seems Too Low

Car accident victims are often staring hardship in the face because they’re unable to earn an income. Insurance companies know how desperate injured people can be, so they often offer them a quick settlement shortly after the crash. At this point, you may not be aware of all your losses. If you accept the first offer, you won’t be able to ask or more later.

Before you agree to a settlement, you should hire a lawyer. An experienced attorney will be able to tell you if the offer is unreasonable or not. They will negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and file a lawsuit if necessary.

When You Don’t Need a Lawyer

There are situations in which you don’t need a car accident lawyer. If your car was damaged but you didn’t receive any injuries, an attorney may not be necessary. If your injuries and medical expenses were minimal, you should also be able to manage your own claim. Meanwhile, if you were clearly responsible for the crash, you probably won’t need a lawyer.

However, you should still consult an attorney to determine your level of liability. If you’re unclear about whether you would benefit from legal representation, simply book a free consultation with a lawyer. Personal injury attorneys only get paid if you do so if you don’t have a case, they’ll tell you.

Call Pinder Plotkin LLC to Discuss Your Case

Serious injuries require serious representation. The sooner you contact our Baltimore car accident attorneys, the more likely it is that you will claim fair compensation. Let us investigate your case and ensure you get the benefits you deserve.