When Is the Right Time to Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer?
When you’re injured in an accident, you have more questions than answers. The first step after an injury accident is to address your injuries. You’re in pain, you’re not able to work, your medical bills are piling up, and you’re not sure what to do next. Should you call an attorney? How soon is too soon, and how late is too late? These are great questions to ask a personal injury attorney. A personal injury lawyer helps people who have been injured because someone else was negligent.
If you or a loved one recently suffered an injury in any type of personal injury accident, like a car accident, slip and fall, or another incident, you might wonder when the right time is to talk to a personal injury lawyer. The answer to this question is that you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Why You Should Contact an Attorney Right Away
There are a few reasons why you will want to contact an attorney immediately after suffering a personal injury, including the following:
- Your lawyer needs to gather time-sensitive evidence
- The time to file your claim or lawsuit is limited
- Your attorney needs time to negotiate for what is rightfully yours
This short list is only the beginning. One of the main benefits of hiring an attorney soon after your injury is that they can handle communication with the insurance company on your behalf. It’s likely a car or homeowners insurance company is involved in your case. They are likely to start asking questions immediately, and you’ll be answering them on your own if you don’t have legal representation. Sadly, insurance adjusters might appear to be on your side, but they aren’t. They don’t work for you, they work for the insurance company. Your personal injury lawyer can deal with the insurance companies, right from the very beginning.
What Is The Longest You Can Wait?
Different states have different laws for personal injury lawsuits, including how long you have to file a claim and how much you can recover in compensation. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Pennsylvania is usually two years. This means that you have at most two years from the date of the accident or injury to file a lawsuit. It’s crucial to consult a legal professional soon because there may be exceptions or specific circumstances that could affect the statute of limitations in a particular case. For instance, if you suffered an accident but the injury was not discovered until later, the two years will start when the injury was discovered not on the date of the accident.
Protect your interests by speaking to a personal injury attorney immediately if you suffer a significant injury and a lot of money is at stake. We recommend you contact a Pittsburgh attorney focused on injury cases as soon as possible. A determined injury lawyer is able to help you recover compensation for medical bills, income loss, pain and anguish, and more.