Not every accident case requires Portland personal injury lawyers, but many do. How do you know when you need an attorney, and when you can handle the matter yourself?
First, the most common reason you would not hire Portland personal injury lawyers is when you are in a minor accident without injuries. For instance, if someone taps your bumper in Portland traffic at five miles per hour and there are no injuries, you probably don’t need an attorney. If you call Portland personal injury lawyers for this kind of incident, they will probably tell you that you should handle the case yourself. Unless there is a chance for compensation for injuries and related damages, it isn’t worth hiring a lawyer.
However, if you are injured in a car accident with injuries that are more than a few cuts or scrapes, it is usually better to call Portland personal injury lawyers to represent you. Your injuries could be worse than you think and you may need more medical care and be out of work longer than you initially believed.
You also should always have Portland personal injury lawyers representing you if you have to spend time in the hospital or have surgeries. You could have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses and you need an attorney to ensure you get enough money for your losses.
Next, you should have an attorney representing you when there is any question about liability. Suppose you are in a Portland car accident where the defendant rear-ends you at a traffic light. This would usually be considered the rear driver’s fault. But what if the defendant claims your brake lights weren’t functioning and you were partially at fault for the crash? Questions about liability get complicated fast. The insurance company for the other party may deny paying your claim if they can argue that their client wasn’t at fault. Portland personal injury attorneys know how to prove fault in a car accident, so you should have skilled attorneys at your side.
