When To Get Help From A Car Accident Lawyer

Are My Injuries Serious Enough to Get a Car Accident Lawyer Involved?

Most people are unsure if they need to get a car accident lawyer involved in their case. Specifically, when an individual is dealing with whiplash or soft-tissue injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Despite what you may have been told, whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries are deserving of compensation. Although an insurance company may classify your injuries as “minor”, there is nothing minor about the way they impact your life.

From disrupting sleep to straining personal relationships and missing time from work, car accident injuries can have a major impact on your life. Insurance companies attach an (undervalued) dollar figure to these injuries and will pressure you into accepting a settlement.

Insurance companies act quickly to protect their interests and want to pay you as little as possible. It is in your best interest to also act quickly. If you call a car accident lawyer soon after an accident, they may be able to take your four-figure settlement offer and get you the five or six-figure claim you deserve.

How Soon Should I Call a Car Accident Lawyer?

We recommend contacting an experienced car accident lawyer no later than two weeks after an accident. You have up to two years in most cases to contact an injury lawyer and pursue a claim. However, filing a claim takes time, so waiting until the day before your limitation date isn’t recommended. For more information on filing a statement of claim, please see our blog on this topic.

If you wait too long, you may have missed some essential steps that must be taken after a car accident. Upon contacting a car accident lawyer, they will advise exactly what to do, and what not to do, after an accident. The longer you wait, the less likely your lawyer can remedy any errors that may have been made. 

Protect your interests, act fast, and call our Team for a free consultation.

What To Do Immediately After a Car Accident

At the Car Accident Scene

• Ensure it is safe to get out of your vehicle.
• Call the Police or RCMP and emergency medical services if necessary
• Take pictures or videos of everything – both vehicles, license plates, road conditions, surrounding area, traffic control devices, and street signs.
• Get the names and numbers of as many witnesses as possible.
• Exchange insurance information with the other driver.
• DO NOT take any money or any other form of payment from the other driver. 

After the Car Accident

• Go to the hospital (with EMS if recommended).
• Report to a Police or RCMP station and give your witness statement.
• Attend to your family doctor to document your injuries and obtain any medications or referrals.
• Call your insurance company and report the car accident. Tell your insurance company you are hurt and would like to begin treatment.
• Begin treatment through a physiotherapy clinic of your choosing.
• Call a car accident lawyer for a free consultation. 
• We recommend not speaking with the other party’s insurance company until you have consulted an experienced car accident lawyer.  
• Follow up regularly with your family doctor and attend all physiotherapy appointments. 

Ready To Talk To A Car Accident Lawyer?

If you are uncertain if you need a car accident lawyer, James H. Brown and Associates offers a free, no-obligation, injury claim evaluation. In this meeting, we will answer any questions you have, and help you decide if you should pursue a claim. Personal injury law is complex. Let our team of precedent-setting injury lawyers assist you. When you’re life has been turned upside down we’re there to help you every step of the way. With over 250 years of combined injury law experience, trust in the experience of James H. Brown and Associates.