Should I hire a lawyer after a minor car accident? This is a question you might be asking yourself after a small scrape or fender bender on the road.
It might be tempting to think you can do without an attorney for a small claim. However, the reality is that you’ll almost always end up financially better off if you choose to work with a lawyer. The boost your settlement will receive from expert legal assistance will usually more than cover your legal fees.
In this blog post, we discuss the value lawyers bring to the table in small car accident claims.
According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were just over 110,000 reportable car accidents statewide in 2023. A reportable crash is one involving at least one injury or towed vehicle.
Not all of the injured parties in these accidents hired lawyers. It’s very likely that those who didn’t should have. There are various reasons for this.
Not every accident that seems minor truly is.
Injuries like whiplash, concussions, and soft tissue damage often take weeks to fully show up. If you wait this long to start the process of seeking compensation, it can make things much more difficult.
Insurance adjusters might use this delay to argue that your injury wasn’t related to the crash. If this argument succeeds, the costs to you could end up being significant.
A competent car accident lawyer will make sure your medical records tell the full story, drawing clear links between your injuries and the accident.
Even seemingly minor collisions can lead to costly repairs. To make matters worse, your insurance company may try to lowball your vehicular damage costs, potentially leaving you with some uncovered expenses.
A lawyer can negotiate on your behalf, ensuring you get the full amount needed to restore your vehicle—or fight for the replacement value if it’s a total loss.
Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, meaning your own insurance may cover your initial medical bills regardless of who caused your accident. However, you’ll still need to determine fault if you want to recover damages beyond your insurance limits. The other driver may dispute their role in the crash, even in seemingly straightforward cases.
A lawyer can gather evidence—like surveillance footage, witness statements, and accident reports—to prove who was at fault. This can make all the difference if you need to pursue additional compensation for injuries or damages.
Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims gives you two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury claim. That might sound like plenty of time, but building a strong case takes months.
The sooner you hire a lawyer, the sooner they can start collecting evidence, talking to witnesses, and ensuring deadlines don’t sneak up on you. If you try to do this all yourself, you may find it overwhelming.
Hypothetically, if no one was injured in your crash, there was no major property damage, and you receive a fair insurance settlement offer upfront, you may not need a lawyer.
Unfortunately, it’s rarely as simple as this in practice. In many cases, it’s impossible to know what a "fair" settlement offer might look like until you’ve had a professional evaluate your claim.
A free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Philadelphia can help you decide if legal representation is right for you. If your attorney doesn’t think you need legal representation, they’ll tell you during this meeting, and it won’t cost you a penny.
You’re likely to be rattled after any kind of car, motorcycle, or truck accident, minor or otherwise. However, if you can keep a cool head in the minutes and hours following a crash, there’s plenty you can do to maximize your chances of recovering the compensation you need.
Before anything else, make sure you and your passengers are safe. If there are injuries, call 911 immediately for medical help.
If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road or a safe spot to prevent further accidents. Turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers of the obstruction.
You are legally required to call the police to the scene of any accident involving an injury or damage to a vehicle. Failure to do so may constitute a hit-and-run offense.
However, you shouldn’t view this as a chore; the police report arising from your accident could be valuable to you later on. It will serve as an official record of the incident, which will be critical if you need to file an insurance claim or if fault is disputed.
Gather this information from the other driver:
Be polite, but don’t discuss fault or apologize—these statements can be used against you later.
Use your smartphone to take photos and videos of:
You should also speak to any eyewitnesses and ask them to share contact details in case their account of events might be useful later.
Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible, even if it’s minor. Stick to the facts and avoid speculating about fault. Your insurance company will request details like the date, time, and location of the accident.
As road accident attorneys, one of the biggest parts of our job is fighting insurance companies to secure fair treatment for clients. Insurers often try to persuade claimants that their accidents were minor, and that the compensation they require is therefore minor as well.
We value claims properly, ensuring that any settlement we aim for will cover all medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and out-of-pocket costs. If you’d like to learn more about how the Cochran Firm in Philadelphia can help you settle your case, consider coming in to our office for a free initial consultation. You can reach us via our online contact form or call us at 800-969-4400.
