<strong>Reader question:

Should I get in touch with a lawyer after a crash?

Holly

Crash, claim, and lawyer.

Three words you probably don’t want to hear. It’s not that the last two can’t be helpful after the first event, but they’re very frustrating to deal with, speak a whole other language, and you don’t want to have to be in a situation to need to deal with them in the first place. Depending on the nature of your accident, though, you may need an attorney.

You absolutely need an attorney if

• you receive a serious or permanent injury as a result of the accident
• someone dies
• fault is a problem
• there were other cars or pedestrians involved
• the crash happened in a construction area
• the police report inaccurately accuses you
• you have low limits on your liability insurance
• you have no insurance, or your insurance company says you didn’t pay
• your insurer acts up or gets its own lawyer

You might consider one when

• you need settlement advice
• fault might be a problem
• need help negotiating
• trying to find out if your insurer is looking out for you
• you don’t know your rights
• your policy is confusing
• the paperwork is confusing

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama