Is it Worth Hiring a Lawyer After Minor Fender Bender?

Unfortunately, vehicle collisions are a part of life. Fortunately, the vast majority of them aren't catastrophic. If you're involved in a fender bender that, at least at first glance, doesn't seem to have caused any serious damage or injury, you may wonder if you need to hire an attorney to sue the other driver or their insurance company. It can feel irrational to get an attorney involved, after all there are a lot of stereotypes associated with personal injury lawyers and people that make legal claims. However, you should never feel guilty about seeking legal advice or retaining an attorney to protect your rights.

When Should You Consider Retaining an Attorney After a Minor Car Collision?

First of all, not every motor vehicle collision turns out to be a lawsuit. However, every motor vehicle collision where property (i.e. a vehicle) was damaged or a person was injured should result in a claim. For example, if the other driver caused the wreck, then their insurance should take care of the property damage. If you needed to go to the hospital or get other treatment or missed time for work you should be fairly compensated for that. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you obtain the proper compensation for these things, often with having to file a lawsuit. 

However, there may be instances where the other driver's insurance provider undervalues the amount of property damage or refuses to accept 100% fault. Perhaps the at-fault driver is uninsured. In these scenarios, a lawsuit may be your only route to financial recovery.

More important than property damage to your vehicle, however, is personal injury. Many injuries sustained in even minor collisions can take a while to reveal themselves. Delayed onset of injury symptoms can translate into hefty medical bills and a loss of income if you have to take off work.

Common delayed onset injuries may include:

• Blood clots
• Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
• Whiplash type injuries to the neck
• Internal bleeding
• Sciatica type pain in legs
• Back pain
• Nerve damage, including carpal tunnel syndrome to hands

The injuries described above can occur even in minor collisions. You should never brush off a bump on the head or other injury that you think you can remedy at home with some aspirin. It is always best to see a doctor both for your safety and to have a medical record of the injury you suffered during the wreck.  Unfortunately, many insurance companies refuse to accept the these injuries.

In these cases a lawsuit, even in a “minor Fender bender” may be your only route to financial recovery.

Contact an Experienced Connecticut Auto Collision Attorney.

Meet Attorney Jim Miron. Jim can help you determine if you should sue after a minor fender bender. To learn more, you can contact us online or call (203) 339-5991 today to schedule a free confidential consultation and case evaluation.