Face it: Nobody plans to get in a car accident. And thankfully, most people will go for many years, if not their whole lives, without ever getting into a wreck of any kind.
But sometimes it happens: A driver runs a red light. Or someone tailgates you and slams into your back bumper. Or a drunk driver careens out of his lane and plows into your car, totaling it and possibly injuring you.
Or maybe you yourself are accused of causing a car accident of some kind.
Such incidents can leave people shaken, terrified, and confused. And one question that doesn’t immediately occur to everyone, but is nonetheless very important, is: Do I need a Baltimore car accident lawyer when I get into a crash?
The Answer: Yes!
Put simply: Yes, you need a lawyer when you get into a wreck. A lawyer is an invaluable source of legal and professional support and advice in the event of a car accident. The benefits of engaging an attorney after a wreck are many and critical.
In particular, you want to hire a personal injury attorney. Not all lawyers are the same: Some practice constitutional law, others are criminal defense attorneys, and others are personal injury lawyers.
Injury attorneys know the ins and outs of injury law; they know how to deal with insurance companies; they know how to assess accidents and argue on behalf of their clients to ensure they get the compensation they deserve.
Determining Liability in a Maryland Car Crash
One reason to hire a lawyer is because of the question of liability. What many people do not know is that Maryland is a contributory negligence state.
This means that, in the event that an insurance company or jury determines that one driver is even 1% at fault for an accident, that driver cannot collect damages from the other driver’s insurance company—even if the other driver was 99% at fault!
It can be difficult to determine who is at fault in a car accident—and you can bet that the other driver’s insurance companies will try as hard as they can to prove that you’re even 1% responsible for a wreck so they can avoid paying out for it.
Hiring a Baltimore personal injury lawyer can help ensure that the insurance company doesn’t try and stick you with a 1% liability. Injury lawyers know the tricks that insurance companies use to try and avoid paying out.
If you want to avoid having to deal with an insurance company saddling you with liability and denying you the damages to which you are entitled, you should call an injury attorney.
If You Were Hurt in the Car Accident
If you were hurt in a car accident, then you need a lawyer after a car accident. If you were hurt because of another person’s negligence in a car accident, you need a lawyer.
If You Were at Fault
If you were at fault for the accident, then your insurance company will provide you a lawyer. If you are unsure if you need a lawyer after a car accident, call our office and we can determine if you need a lawyer. Call (410) 694-7291 for an immediate evaluation.
Avoiding a Liability Trap
There are all sorts of important reasons to hire an injury attorney after an accident, but it is very important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
Why? Because if you talk to an insurance company before figuring out just what happened in the accident, you might want into a liability trap.
What’s a liability trap? Simply put, this is when the insurance company (or the at-fault driver’s attorney) tries to get you to admit to causing the accident.
If you’re confused or uncertain, or you can’t easily remember just what happened in the accident, you might very well admit to something that sounds like you were responsible for the accident.
At that point, all your chances of recovering damage are probably gone.
Talking to an injury attorney before talking to anyone else can ensure that you won’t inadvertently admit to something that wasn’t your fault.
An injury attorney can help you get your story straight and advise you on what to say to the insurance company. Your lawyer can even talk to the insurance company for you, so you don’t have to worry about even dealing with them.
The Insurance Company and Getting Medical Bills Paid After a Crash
Let’s assume you have been hurt and seen multiple doctors and physical therapists. Now you have thousands in medical bills and you’ve lost time from work and have had to use sick time.
The insurance company wants to give you the exact amount for your bills, but they don’t want to pay for your lost wages.
Then you need a lawyer. You should be compensated for your lost wages, and you should also be compensated for the time and hassle of the accident. The at-fault driver caused you to have to see the doctor and therapist. That was your free time that you could have been using to do things for you.
Now you had to spend it healing from your injuries. You should be compensated and our lawyers can make the insurance company pay for that time.
No fee unless we win. That’s how we get paid. If we don’t win your case, then you don’t pay us a penny. We work on a contingency basis for our fee.
That means our fee is paid from the settlement of verdict in your case.
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident and you need a lawyer, contact our office at (410) 694-7291 for a FREE case evaluation and review.
Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer Randolph Rice Offers Free Consultations
There is no fee to hire a lawyer for your car accident case and claim. This is because most car accident lawyers work on a contingency basis.
A contingency basis or contingency fee means the lawyers’ fees are contingent on the success of your claim.
The lawyer for your claim will pay all the expenses and costs up front for you, this can include obtaining medical bills and records, hiring experts and filing fees if a lawsuit is required.