When should a person get an attorney after an accident? This is a vital question that everyone wonders about. If the accident did not appear to be your fault, you may erroneously believe that you don’t need to be represented by an attorney. You will believe that right will win all, and that you will be safe from having an action brought against you by the other driver.
The reason that this is not always how it plays out, is because even when the accident is not your fault, you may find that you are paying for the repairs for the other driver. There are other drivers who are actually wholly at fault for an accident that you are involved in – but they are not going to tell the truth about that. And, you are not going to be able to make them tell the truth, about what really happened, under any circumstances.
Most people are honest and law abiding people. These people are your neighbors, or co-workers, or people you know casually in the community. Then, there are people that you don’t know, but you want to trust. They may even have the same state license plate as you do. You may feel that you have a pseudo shared common bond, since we are all from California, right?
Unfortunately, there are people from all over the planet who come to your state, to drive on your roads, and have accidents with you and your car. Anyone from anywhere, California, neighboring states, people in rental cars, in borrowed cars, in brand new never before driven cars, or in junker cars – virtually anyone can have an accident with you, if not today, then maybe tomorrow. And, although most people would never consider not telling the truth at a scene of an accident, there are the small percent of people who will lie through their teeth to try to get out of paying you, especially when it is their fault for the loss.
For example, if two cars both approach an intersection and one has the right of way, if the other driver doesn’t yield, odds are very high that there will be an accident. If the other driver declares that he had the right of way, and you have an accident, someone is going to be at fault for the damages. It may be clear that the other driver is at fault. But if the police arrive and talk to the other driver, and that person vehemently blames you for the loss, then you may find that you both are given a citation for the loss, and your insurance companies will both split the difference at 50%. This 50% determination for your loss may not be enough to pay for the damages to your car. It is most likely just a few hundred dollars over your deductible. The point being, this situation is not what you expected when you were hit by a car at an intersection and you feel that you were wrongly pinned as responsible for the loss.
So, to answer the question posed at the top, when should you get an attorney after an accident? You should get one right away. If you have questions about an accident that you have just been in, you may call us today at the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or email us at www.ledgerlaw.com.
