When Should I Get a Car Accident Lawyer in Massachusetts?
After a car accident, you should consider talking to a lawyer about your case. There are many ways a lawyer can help you maximize your compensation, avoid counterclaims, and protect your rights after a crash. But when should you call a lawyer?
After a car accident, it is best to get a lawyer as soon as you can. In most cases, this means after your initial recovery at the hospital – or potentially while you are still recovering. The immediate steps to take after a crash have a few points at which you should try to call an attorney by. There are also potential consequences for waiting too long.
If you need a car accident lawyer, call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan’s accident attorneys at (617) 925-6407. We offer free case evaluations.
When to Contact a Lawyer After a Car Crash in Massachusetts
Your actual ability to contact a lawyer after an accident will obviously vary depending on how severely injured you are. If you are too injured to call a lawyer, you should focus on your recovery first. Then, at your first convenience, call an attorney.
If you are alert and able to collect evidence and make calls after your crash, you should contact an attorney as soon as you can. Calling a lawyer from the actual scene of the crash is probably a bit too early. it is better to see an EMT or go to the hospital if you need to, collect information at the scene of the accident, and settle down from the adrenaline of the accident first before calling a lawyer.
If you are physically able to research attorneys and make calls to their offices to find a car accident lawyer, you should not wait more than a day or two after the accident if you can avoid doing so.
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Call a Lawyer for a Car Accident Case in Massachusetts?
Waiting too long to contact an attorney can have a few different consequences depending on how long you wait. From soonest to latest, the following issues can crop up if you delay your call to a Wakefield car accident lawyer:
Cleared Accident Scene
The authorities cannot allow damaged vehicles and debris to stay at the scene of a crash for very long. While it is ultimately a good thing that accidents are cleaned up, that can be quite bad for your car accident case.
If you were not able to get pictures of the accident scene, the position of the cars, the road conditions, skid marks, and weather conditions at the accident scene, that information could be lost. If you act quickly, your attorney may be able to arrange to have photos taken of the scene, but waiting to call a lawyer can make this impossible. However, if you took photos at the scene or the police have already formulated a report, this will have less of an impact on your case.
Lost Witnesses and Video Evidence
If you call your attorney within the first 24-48 hours after the crash, they might be able to track down witnesses and video of the crash. Asking around about who saw the accident can help find witnesses, especially for crashes in town or outside of someone’s home.
Many stores and homes have security cameras that might have recorded the accident. Additionally, traffic cameras could have caught the crash on film. However, many video systems overwrite video within very short times.
Working quickly, a Massachusetts car accident lawyer can send letters to the owner of the potential footage asking them to preserve any videos they have. Your lawyer can also later subpoena that video and use it as evidence in support of your case. But the footage might be deleted if you wait too long to have your lawyer contact them. If you can contact the owner of the video instead, and they’re willing to cooperate, you might not need a lawyer so soon in your case.
Missed Payments and Damages
If you need payments for your medical bills and injuries quickly, the longer you delay in calling a lawyer and filing a claim, the longer it will take for you to get the money you need. The sooner you act, the sooner your Somerville car accident attorneys can get you the compensation you need and start getting your medical bills and expenses taken care of.
Improper Tracking of Damages
Your lawyers can also help track damages as they occur in your case. Coordinating your medical care and tracking expenses can help show how much your damages are worth and when they occurred. Handling this information on your own can be difficult, and you may miss out on types of evidence you didn’t know you could collect.
For instance, many injury attorneys will suggest keeping a journal to document pain and suffering. If you do not learn about this from your attorneys early on in your case, the chance to start tracking this evidence might be lost. This could make it harder to prove your damages later – especially for non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
Statute of Limitations Issues
If you wait more than 3 years to file your case, you could be barred from filing a claim entirely. Massachusetts’ statute of limitations on injury claims is 3 years. However, your Massachusetts car accident attorneys will need time to build your case and file.
It could take months to build a proper case, so you will need to call a lawyer well before the 3-year period is over. Otherwise, your attorney might not have time to file, and your case will end up with serious issues during the rush, or it will be barred entirely.
Getting a Lawyer When You Are Not at Fault for a Massachusetts Car Accident
Car accidents can be frightening and often result in victims needing access to compensatory damages. Immediately after a car accident, however, Massachusetts victims may be unsure whether or not they should get an attorney. If you were not at fault, you should get a Worcester personal injury lawyer.
There’s no reason why Massachusetts car accident victims should pay for expenses they did not cause. If you were not at fault for a collision, it is wise to contact an attorney. Although Massachusetts is a no-fault state for car accidents, victims can still sue in certain scenarios. If you did not cause a car accident in Massachusetts, you should hire an attorney to help you get the compensatory damages you deserve. That’s especially true if your Massachusetts personal injury protection insurance doesn’t cover the associated costs, which depending on your coverage, it may not.
If you need help in the aftermath of a car accident that was not your fault, regardless of any injuries, our experienced Salem car accident lawyers are here to help. We represent victims of all kinds, including those who need assistance following a collision.
Call Our Massachusetts Car Accident Attorneys Today
If you were injured in a car crash, act now and call our Boston car accident attorneys as soon as you can. At the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, we offer free case evaluations. Call (617) 925-6407 today.