Any car accident, even a small fender bender, is likely to ruin your day. Nevertheless, minor fender benders can result in injury and property damage. There are a few things to consider before deciding whether to hire legal counsel.

• Disputing compensation: People who have suffered injuries in a car accident and received a lower-than-expected settlement often think they just have to accept it. Personal injury attorneys are adept at negotiating higher settlements with insurance companies. Hiring an injury attorney could increase your compensation substantially. This is useful when you have hefty medical bills and missed paychecks due to your injuries.
• Denied Claims: Just like with lower-than-desired payouts, a lawyer can help if your personal injury claim was rejected. Your insurer is required to provide a sufficient explanation for your claim being denied. If they can’t (or won’t), a personal injury attorney should take the reins at this point. They should be able to help by negotiating with the insurance company, or if needed, file a lawsuit.
• Unforeseen long-term injuries: Many people who have been in car accidents will tell you that they felt fine right after the crash, but woke up in severe pain the next day. This is often due to adrenaline, which is common to surge following a car accident. This hormone response can make your body react as if nothing is wrong physically. However, when it wears off, you’ll start to feel the effects of injuries. Although this is normal, insurance companies could interpret the delay in treatment to mean that your injuries didn’t occur, weren’t severe, or that they weren’t caused by the accident. A lawyer can help refute these denials and increase your chances of success.
• Arguments about fault: It’s always reassuring when you can find common ground with the other party involved in your car accident. In some cases, the other person might even tell you that they know the accident was their fault, or that they won’t pursue any insurance claims. However, given enough time, people may change their minds, or perceive the facts differently about how the accident occurred.

Izzy Yetnikoff is a lawyer with extensive experience in car accidents. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, call Izzy Yetnikoff at Yetnikoff Law Offices, PLLC for help. Call us at 800-279-6331 or visit us online for more information about how we can help you today.