When you’re in a car accident that someone else caused, the level of stress, pain, and anger you face are difficult to put into words. You know you deserve compensation for your injuries and financial losses, but you’re not sure where to turn for help. Don’t lose out on a settlement you deserve by waiting too long to file your case. Your Tennessee car accident lawyer can give you the best chance at winning your case.
Keep reading to learn when you should hire a lawyer after a Chattanooga car accident, and how Jay & Brent at the McMahan Law Firm can help.
Do I Even Need a Lawyer?
No law requires you to have a car accident attorney to represent your case, and in a perfect world, you wouldn’t need one. You would claim the compensation you need, and the insurance company would pay up—no fuss, no muss.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Having a lawyer can be the answer to your problems. In fact, having a car accident lawyer handle your case gives you the best chance at receiving the maximum possible compensation for your claim.
A good, experienced car accident lawyer knows how to navigate the law and insurance companies to stand up for your rights. You’re facing an insurance adjuster and lawyers on the other side who will use the law against you. Shouldn’t you have someone who knows the law just as well to fight on your side?
When Should I Hire a Lawyer After a Chattanooga Car Accident?
Calling an attorney should be one of the first things you do after an accident. If you’ve suffered an injury in the accident that wasn’t your fault, Jay & Brent can help maximize your potential compensation and save you from making critical mistakes in paperwork or when talking to insurance adjusters.
Even if you don’t feel injured right away after an accident, it is still in your best interest to contact a lawyer. At McMahan Law Firm, our attorneys will offer you a free case review with no obligation. Some injuries can take days, weeks, or even months to become an issue, and having a lawyer in advance means you’re prepared if this happens. Don’t lose out on the compensation you have a right to recover.
Should I Talk to the Insurance Adjuster?
While you should absolutely speak with an attorney, talking with the reckless driver’s insurance company can be a mistake. You have no legal obligation to talk to an insurance adjuster, no matter how persistent they are.
Insurance adjusters have one job: get you to sign away your rights to compensation. They may even outright lie and tell you that you can still get more later if you sign a settlement now. Make no mistake. If you sign, you’re signing away your rights. When you work with our lawyers, we take over the communications with the adjuster for you so you can focus on your recovery and we can handle defending your rights!
Proving Negligence
Another reason to hire a lawyer right away is that we’ll need to prove that the other driver caused the accident, which is legally known as proving negligence. Proving negligence means proving three things:
- The other driver acted in an unreasonably irresponsible way
- Their actions caused the accident
- The accident caused your injury.
In Tennessee, modified comparative fault rules state that if you’re even partially responsible for the accident, your compensation can be lowered. If you’re 50% or more at fault, you can’t be awarded anything at all. This makes hiring a lawyer who has experience fighting for injured Chattanoogans and our Tennessee community even more vital!
How to Hire Your McMahan Car Accident Lawyer
The right accident lawyer can fight to get you the compensation you deserve and help you avoid costly mistakes. Our team at McMahan is here to provide you with all of the legal support you need. Our leading attorneys, Jay & Brent, are the board-certified trial attorneys you need on your case. Call us at 423-265-1100, or fill out our online form, to get your free case review today!
