Is It Worth Getting a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident?

Is Getting a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident Worth It?

If you have been involved in a minor car wreck, the first question you may have is whether you need a car accident lawyer to help you. After all, it appears that the collision is just a fender bender or another type of minor collision. You have handled other small insurance claims directly with an adjuster before as well. So why can’t you handle this type of minor car accident claim? Is it worth getting a lawyer for a minor car accident? Our personal injury lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, says, “it depends.”

This is because there are several factors that need to be considered when determining whether you need a lawyer. Not all of these factors depend just on you but also on other occupants in your vehicle. Some of the most important considerations include the following:

Was Someone Achy or Not Feeling Well and Needed Medical Treatment?

One of the biggest misconceptions about car accidents is that they are all violent and high-speed, resulting in immediate personal injuries that require emergency department treatment. This is certainly possible, but it is often not the case. Particularly with soft tissue injuries to the neck and back, some types of personal injuries after a car accident can result in mild pain, aches, and overall not feeling well the day of the accident or several days (or even weeks) after the collision.

For instance, an impact causing a brain bleed may leave almost no symptoms—sometimes just a minor headache, sometimes not even that. But a brain bleed that continues for several hours to days could result in the brain’s four ventricles filling with blood. That can increase the intracranial pressure in the brain, resulting in damage to vital structures in the brain. If left untreated, the damage can be permanent and even become fatal.

The same is true of many types of spinal cord injuries and soft tissue injuries. It is common for there to be a minor backache and stiffness. But after several weeks or months, that stiffness may only worsen. Eventually, radiculopathy, or nerve pain in the back and sometimes radiating down the leg, will begin to cause more severe pain, disability, and debilitation.

Thus, anytime someone receives medical treatment after a car accident, you must consider that you may need a lawyer.

Did You Lose Time From Work?

Anytime you lose time from work due to your injury, disability, medical treatment, or the accident itself, you should consider seeking a lawyer’s advice. This is because lost wages can be recovered in a personal injury action. But it also indicates that, if there are lost wages, that the minor car accident may have been more severe than you believe.

Was a Passenger in Your Vehicle Injured? Was a Child in Your Car?

Even if you were not injured, if a passenger was injured you might want to speak with a car accident lawyer. This is particularly true if a child was injured in your vehicle. As a parent, you are able to commence an action on behalf of the child for personal injuries and medical bills. Even if a collision appears to have been minor, children are very vulnerable to injury. Therefore, anytime a child is involved in a motor vehicle accident, you should get treatment and evaluation for the child. If a doctor finds any injury or abnormality, even something mild, speak with a personal injury lawyer.

Still Unsure if it is Worth Getting a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident? Contact Us Today!

At HGSK, our experienced personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia, PA, offer a FREE case evaluation to any person involved in a car accident case, even a minor collision. This is because we know that some minor collisions can have huge ramifications for an individual and his or her family. If you are ever unsure whether you may have a case to pursue, do not try to make that determination yourself—let us review your case for free.

Learn more about how we can help you and how you can schedule your FREE case evaluation by calling (267) 350-6600 or by sending us a message through our “contact us” box available here. We are here to help and never feel like your case is too small or insignificant to call—minor car accidents can cause permanent and disabling injuries, even if those injuries are not obvious right away. Protect yourself, your family, and your rights. Call today.