We get asked this question all the time.
Your need for an attorney depends on whether or not you sustained an injury in the accident and if so, what is the severity of the injury. If you were not injured in the accident, then in all likelihood you probably will not need an attorney. Be careful about taking money from the insurance company in the first few days following the accident, thinking that you did not sustain any significant injury, because in some situations your injury may become more significant when you resume all of your activities, such as going back to work, housework, recreational activities, etc. The insurance company for the individual who caused your accident would like to close your file as soon as possible and will offer some small amount to close your file. You accept and then realize a week or two later, when resuming activities that you are hurting and need medical care. It may be too late to reopen your case. Be careful. For those reasons never accept any settlement until you have returned to all of your activities and determine that you are still pain free. Time is on your side.
If you were injured and needed medical attention, then in most cases you will need legal help. About the only time you would not need legal help is if you went in one time to see your primary care physician, just to be certain that you had not sustained any significant injury, which she or he confirmed, and then you resumed all of your activities over the next several months and were still pain free. The assumption is that you are not losing time from work and not sustaining any loss of earnings. In that setting your medical bills would usually be under $1000.00, and you could probably try to resolve the matter without having to pay a Carlsbad car accident attorney.
Finally, if you were injured and needed medical care that has costs in excess of $1000.00, such as being taken to the hospital from the accident scene by ambulance, then an attorney can certainly benefit you in that setting. Dealing with the insurance companies can be very difficult and frustrating. This is what our attorneys do everyday and have been doing for the past 42 years.
If you have been involved in an accident, please contact our Carlsbad personal injury attorneys for a free legal consultation, to find out about your rights. There is no fee for the initial consultation and no fee will be payable unless we are successful in obtaining compensation for you.