3 Signs that You Should Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
So, you’re driving along and suddenly find yourself hit by another car; or perhaps you were crossing an intersection legally only to have someone slam into you when they’re running a red light. When you’ve been driving safely and become injured due to another person’s reckless actions, you’re not only left scared and in pain as you recover but also likely frustrated. It’s frustrating to know that you did everything right and now, due to another person’s actions, you are left with physical and emotional trauma, potential issues with working, and both hospital and auto bills. If the accident is serious enough, in the best case scenario you’ll be left buying a new car. Fortunately, there are actions that you can take to ensure you are represented in potential legal proceedings. But even if a criminal case is not pursued, you can potentially pursue a personal injury case with a personal injury attorney Mission Viejo residents trust. Let’s look into some of the signs that you should consider getting in touch with personal injury lawyers.
1. You’ve Been Injured
Your injury doesn’t need to be dire in order for you to be justified in seeking a claim with a personal injury attorney Mission Viejo drivers rely on. You will have likely already filed a claim with your insurance company, which can be an important part of building a history, and therefore is something that you should do ahead of getting in touch with a lawyer. Depending on your state and your accident, your claim may or may not be honored; everyone’s cases are different from each other. Even if your claim isn’t denied, your insurance carrier could very well choose to compensate you in a way that cannot cover your medical bills. An injury is a serious problem, and whether or not your insurance takes care of your medical bills, you need to be able to hold the other party responsible. With that being said, you do need to keep close track of your medical bills resulting from the car accident and have documentation on hand verifying that you were injured during the car accident. This is why it can be worth it to allow police officers to take photos of your injuries following a car accident. It can be difficult to keep a cool head following an accident, and in some cases, you obviously won’t be able to function well following an accident. With 3 million people being injured due to car accidents every year, car accident injuries are common but still serious.
2. You’ve Been Traumatized
A good personal injury will want you to document any emotional trauma following a car accident. Not everyone is emotionally traumatized following a car accident; everyone handles injuries and accidents differently. But many people do suffer some level of emotional distress following a car accident. See a therapist or psychiatrist if need be; record this as well. Emotional trauma is a type of personal injury, and it can permanently cause you to struggle with getting back in the car again.
3. You Become Disabled
It can become incredibly difficult to live a normal life after more serious car accidents. A major reason why people get in touch with a personal injury attorney Mission Viejo residents rely on is because they become disabled in some sense. Now, disabilities do vary. Some consider permanent mental health issues — which, as discussed above, can result from serious car accidents — to be disabilities. Furthermore, not all physical disabilities are the same. Some physical disabilities may keep you from walking entirely while others may require you to walk with a cane, for example. Either way, a disability can keep you from living your life as you did before, or can cause you to become ineligible for some jobs. You need to be very careful when recording information about your disability for a personal injury lawyer.
Hopefully, you’ll never be in a situation that would trigger you to contact a personal injury attorney. But if you are, don’t hesitate; take your own injuries seriously.