If you’ve been in a minor car accident, you may want to hire a car accident lawyer. Even if you don’t have any obvious injuries, it’s a good idea to hire a lawyer who can help you determine if you have a case that qualifies for compensation.
Our Birmingham car accident lawyers have over 17 years of experience representing car accident victims, and we’re ready to take your case. Read on to learn from our team at Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, whether you should hire a car accident lawyer after a minor accident.
Common Injuries in Minor Car Accidents
While minor fender benders may not cause major trauma, it’s common to experience mild physical complaints even in low-speed crashes. Some injuries frequently reported after small accidents include:
- Whiplash: Abrupt head or neck movement can result in muscle strains between the skull and shoulders. Symptoms like headaches and limited mobility may emerge days later.
- Back pain: Unexpected jolting or awkward postures have the potential to sprain or strain low back muscles and ligaments.
- Shoulder injuries: Impacts on the steering wheel or seatbelt pull can over-torque shoulder joints, leading to tendonitis, bursitis, or rotator cuff issues.
- Bruising and abrasions: Even at slow speeds, impact forces are enough to smash skin or underlying tissues, causing surface wounds or deep bruising.
- Sprains and strains: Twists and wrenches to weight-bearing joints like knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists frequently happen without obvious fractures.
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What Damages Can You Recover After a Minor Car Accident?
Even in seemingly minor car accidents, there are various types of damages for which you may be entitled to receive compensation. Some of the most common damages you can recover include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Covers medical costs and lost income for head injuries causing permanent cognitive or physical impairments.
- Spinal cord injuries: Compensation for medical treatment and lifelong care needs in the event of paralyzing back or neck injuries.
- Medical expenses: Reimbursement of past and future costs for reasonable or necessary treatment by doctors, physical therapy, and prescriptions directly resulting from crash injuries.
- Vehicle repair costs: Payment for parts and labor to fix damage to your car from the accident if it was not totaled. It may also include diminished value after repairs.
- Lost wages: Income you were unable to earn due to missed work while injured. It also overlaps with decreased or lost future earning capacity.
- Decreased earning capacity: Covers projected lifetime income loss from permanent impairments preventing you from performing your regular job or career as before.
- Pain and suffering: Non-economic damages meant to compensate for physical and mental pain experienced as a result of crash-related injuries. A lawyer can explain how pain and suffering is calculated.
- Emotional distress: Damages for trauma, depression, anxiety, or other diagnosable psychological conditions caused by accident aftermath.
How Much Will a Lawyer Cost for a Minor Accident Case?
At Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means our attorneys only get paid a percentage of the total settlement amount if the claim is successfully resolved. The percentage that our team will take depends on the case.
However, while you do not owe any legal fees upfront with a contingency agreement, we do recoup some costs after the case has concluded. Common examples include:
- Filing fees with the court if the case goes to litigation instead of settling.
- Costs associated with depositions, obtaining medical records, or hiring expert witnesses if needed.
- Travel expenses like parking and tolls if the attorney needs to visit crash sites or meet with other parties.
It’s important to keep this in mind so you aren’t surprised by any costs you might have to pay.
What Questions Should You Ask During a Free Consultation?
When meeting with a potential car accident attorney for an initial free consultation, it’s important to make the most of that time by coming prepared with thoughtful questions. Here are some examples of inquiries that could help you determine if hiring a lawyer is the right choice:
- Ask about the lawyer’s areas of experience and typical cases handled. Do they have experience specifically with minor accident claims?
- Inquire about the process for dealing with insurance companies. How actively will they negotiate on your behalf?
- Find out what portion of similar past cases resulted in a settlement without needing a lawsuit.
- Ask how frequently the lawyer would update you on case status and progress.
- Ask how billing works in general. Are there specific fee arrangements for minor claims?
- Inquire about typical timelines so you understand litigation schedules if settling is not possible.
- Ask for client references you can contact to check the quality of representation.
- Clarify what percentage of expenses you would pay personally upfront, if any.
What Can You Do to Help Your Car Accident Lawyer After a Minor Accident?
While the attorney will handle much of the legal work on a case, there are also ways you can assist and contribute to the process. Providing complete and thorough documentation is very important. You should gather all records related to the accident, such as police reports, insurance documents, medical records, and bills.
Keep receipts from any expenses incurred. Taking detailed notes of the incident, including date, time, location, vehicle positions, traffic conditions, and names of witnesses, can also help your lawyer. It is helpful to respond to any communication from your lawyer promptly. Your lawyer may have time-sensitive requests for information or need to discuss strategy.
Returning calls or emails within 24 hours prevents delays. You should also stay communicative about any medical updates or changes in your condition. Let your attorney know about additional treatment sought and how you are recovering over time. Be honest even about improvements, as that provides a full picture.
Learn More About Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer After a Minor Accident
If you’ve been in a minor car accident, our team at Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC, can help you determine your eligibility for compensation. We can also answer any questions you have about the legal process.
Contact us to learn more about whether you should hire a car accident lawyer after a minor accident.
