Did you suffer an injury due to a car accident? Have you received large medical bills due to your injuries? Is your insurance company giving you the runaround by refusing to pay for your necessary medical treatment? Are other insurance companies pressuring you into signing paperwork for a quick settlement? If you answered yes to one or more of the questions above, you may wonder when you should get a lawyer for your car accident.
It is not uncommon for people to hire an attorney immediately following a car accident. If you or a loved one was seriously injured, even in a minor car accident, you should schedule a consultation with an attorney right away. It never hurts to contact a car accident attorney after an accident. Most injury attorneys offer a free initial consultation. This consultation is a great opportunity to ask questions and get the answers you need regarding your car accident. The attorney can also be able to discuss your legal options with you during this time.
Should I Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident?
If you are not sure if you need a car accident lawyer, consider calling our law firm if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
- Did you suffer an injury in a car accident?
- Did any passengers suffer an injury or death in the car accident?
- Do you believe that you are being unfairly blamed for the car accident?
- Is it difficult to determine who is to blame for the crash?
- Do you worry that there are multiple parties to blame for the accident?
- Do you disagree with the initial police report?
- Are you worried that the insurance company is not offering you a fair settlement?
- Are you having trouble dealing with insurance companies?
- Have you been unable to return to work or have you lost wages since your accident?
- Do you have pain and suffering damages or other non-economic losses to consider?
- Have you suffered economic losses such as unpaid medical bills or lost wages?
If you decide to choose an injury lawyer, it is important to know if your attorney will work on a contingency basis. If so, this means that you do not owe them a fee unless they collect money for you. This enables you to pursue justice without worrying about how much it is going to cost you!
Insurance Companies Are Not on Your Side
Even if the other driver’s insurance company seems nice and willing to work with you, they are looking to pay you as little as possible. They may offer you an initial settlement and tell you that this is the best they can do. The insurance company may even pressure you into signing a settlement agreement. Do not fall for these tactics. Speak to an experienced car accident attorney to review your legal options.
New Jersey Is a No-Fault Car Insurance State
Following a car accident, you need to file a claim with your car insurance company to get compensated for medical bills and other damages, regardless of who is at fault for the accident. Most car insurance policies in New Jersey have a limited right to sue clause that prevents you from successfully litigating a case against the at-fault driver unless:
- You suffered a permanent injury,
- The accident caused a death,
- You suffered a displaced fracture, significant scarring, loss of a body part or significant disfigurement,
- The injury caused the loss of a fetus.
In all other cases, you would not be able to sue for other economic damages or for your pain and suffering.
If you selected the unlimited right to sue option, these limitations will not apply to you. Typically, doing so would raise the rates of your car insurance.
What If I am Partially at Fault for the Accident?
One interesting thing about car accidents in New Jersey is the other party or parties do not have to be completely at fault for you to file a personal injury lawsuit. New Jersey law uses the comparative negligence standard, which means you could be entitled to a percentage of damages based on your percentage of fault, as long as it is below 50%. For example, it may be determined you were 30% at fault for the car accident. Therefore, you could be entitled to up to 70% of the damages you incurred as a result of the accident. If you are determined to be more than 50% at fault for the happening of an accident, then you are barred from recovering any financial compensation in relation to that accident.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys in Vineland
Did you, or someone you love, suffer a serious injury due to a car accident in Vineland, New Jersey, or the greater South Jersey area? If so, we want to help you! We want to be the first and last call you ever need to make for quality personal injury legal advice. At Rosner Law Offices, P.C., our car accident lawyers can answer your questions after a serious car crash. We have decades of experience helping injured accident victims in South Jersey.
Call or text us today at (856) 502-1655 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We have helped injured accident victims successfully obtain over $100 million in awards and settlements. Call today to see what we can do for you!