Pennsylvania roadways are not immune from the auto accident epidemic sweeping the nation. In 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that approximately 351 crashes occurred every day on average. Out of those crashes, an average of 221 people sustained injuries daily.
Many people do not need to go to the doctor’s office at all, and many drivers find minimal if any damage to their vehicles. This begs the question, “How do people know if they need to contact an attorney after a car accident?” Every case is different, but there are some good guidelines to follow.
Call as soon as possible
After the crash, you should contact the police and your insurance agency. Shortly after those phone calls, it helps to also contact a lawyer. The reason for this is that you can be reasonably confident the other driver involved will contact his or her insurance provider, and that company will reach out to you. You should never provide a statement to the other driver’s insurance company without first consulting a lawyer. You do not want to implicate yourself or suggest you were primarily responsible for the collision.
Consider the benefits
You absolutely need to contact a lawyer after an accident if any of the following apply to your situation:
- The accident resulted in a fatality
- The accident resulted in significant injury to anyone involved, including paralysis and broken bones
- The crash took place in a school zone, construction zone or another protected area
- There are doubts regarding your insurance status
- The police report did not accurately summarize what took place
- There are doubts about who is primarily at fault
If you do not fall into one of the above categories, it may still be advantageous to hire an attorney. It saves you the hassle of dealing with your insurance company directly. A lawyer in your corner also provides you with confidence and eliminates some of the confusion and uncertainty that can come with an auto accident.