Guest Post: Is It Worth It to Hire a Car Accident Attorney?

Many people who have been in a car accident wonder whether hiring a car accident attorney is worth their time and money. The short answer is yes, hiring an attorney to help with the claims process after a car accident is definitely worth it.

It may be tempting to represent yourself in the claims process in order to save money but doing so places you at a significant disadvantage. This disadvantage is particularly evident when you are negotiating with another party’s insurance company. After all, the main goal of an insurance company is to maximize profit. One of the ways that insurance companies maximize profit is by minimizing payments in the claims process. Every insurance company has a team of lawyers that help them minimize payments, so if negotiating with one, you should too. With this in mind, it is always wise to hire a car accident attorney if you have been in an accident.

Why Many People Hire a Car Accident Attorney

There are many reasons that people hire car accident attorneys after an accident. A recent survey by the Insurance Research Council found that roughly 50% of people who suffered an injury in car accidents hired an attorney to help settle their claim. The most common reason (33%) people gave for hiring an attorney was that someone they knew recommended doing so. 22% of the individuals who hired an attorney did so to get the highest settlement possible. An additional 15% of respondents who had hired an attorney said they did so because they were dissatisfied with delays they had experienced in the claims process. Other reasons given by respondents included being unhappy with the settlement amount initially offered, a doctor recommending they hire an attorney, being contacted by a lawyer, and seeing an advertisement for a car accident lawyer. These are just a few of the reasons why many people hire car accident attorneys.

Is Hiring a Car Accident Attorney Affordable?

Hiring an attorney may seem expensive and unaffordable, but this is not true. In fact, most car accident attorneys are affordable to everyone through the use of contingency fees. A contingent fee arrangement is one where a lawyer gets paid only if a claim is successful. In other words, if your lawyer fails to get you compensation, you do not owe them any money. Most of the time, a contingency fee is a flat percentage of a final settlement amount. By using contingency fees, car accident lawyers keep their services affordable and have a clear incentive to put their best work into every case.

How Should I Make My Hiring Decision?

Ensuring your needs are met is the most important consideration when making a hiring decision. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s, so you should carefully consider your individual circumstances when deciding whether to hire a car accident attorney. 

If you decide to hire an attorney, you should trust your gut and hire the person you are most comfortable with. Trust is an essential element of the attorney-client relationship, so being comfortable with your attorney is critical. Further, you should choose an attorney with experience in car accidents who has a good reputation in the field and whose fees match your budget. If an attorney charges for a consultation or does not offer a contingency fee arrangement, they may not be the best fit. At the end of the day, whether you should hire an attorney to help settle your claim is based entirely on the unique circumstances of your case.