When to Hire an Attorney After a Car Crash: Signs the Case Is More Complex Than It Seems

“I don’t need a lawyer, my car accident claim is simple.”

If you’ve ever talked to someone who was involved in a crash, you’ve probably heard that statement. Most people believe negligence car accident claims are straightforward. They assume that because they were in a crash, filed a claim with insurance, and deserve to be paid.

The truth is nothing could be further from reality. Many car accident claims are much more complicated than they seem.

And here’s the worst part…

If you make even the slightest mistake, you could lose thousands of dollars in compensation. Not to mention leave injured victims on the hook for medical bills they shouldn’t have to pay.

Let’s talk about when you should hire a lawyer after an accident.

What you’re going to learn:

• When Does a Negligence Car Accident Claim Get Difficult?
• Warning Signs Your Case Isn’t as Simple as You Think
• How Disputed Fault Will Impact Your Claim
• The Best Steps to Take After a Serious Car Crash

When Does a Negligence Car Accident Claim Get Difficult?

Of course, not every minor car bump requires a lawyer. But not every accident is a minor car bump.

Negligence car accident claims typically turn into beasts when:

• There is disputed fault
• Injuries are severe
• The insurance company plays games

According to NHTSA estimates, nearly 39,345 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2024. That means millions of other people suffered injuries in car accidents they’ll need to pursue fair compensation claims for.

When you have been involved in a car accident, negligence is often the primary cause that must be proved in order to win the claim. Negligent car accidents in Boca Raton are no exception. Fault often becomes disputed when both drivers have the opportunity to shift blame onto one another due to confusing traffic patterns and poorly monitored intersections. Without proof that negligence was on the other driver’s part, your case won’t get very far.

Here’s the issue:

Insurance companies know that. They will use any opportunity to decrease your payout or deny you compensation outright. And most people aren’t prepared to go to war with an insurance company by themselves.

Warning Signs Your Case Isn’t as Simple as You Think

It can be tough to know when you should hire an attorney after an accident. Take a look at these warning signs that your case requires legal assistance:

The injuries are serious.

If someone was hurt in the accident and suffered:

• Broken bones
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Any injury that requires long-term treatment

Then your claim is automatically worth more money and an insurance company will fight you tooth and nail to reduce the amount they pay. An attorney will know how to calculate your injuries’ worth and demand fair compensation.

The insurance company is stalling.

Insurance companies love to stall claimants whenever possible. They drag their feet, forcing you to wait months to receive compensation. If you feel like the insurance company is taking too long to process your claim, consider hiring an attorney to take over.

Someone is arguing fault.

This is probably the number one reason to hire a lawyer after an accident. If the other driver claims they were not at fault, or that you were partially at fault, you need to lawyer up. Florida uses modified comparative negligence to rule damage claims. If you’re found to be more than 50% at-fault for an accident, you’re no longer eligible to receive compensation.

There is more than one driver at fault.

Let’s say you get hit by Driver A, but Driver A was hit by Driver B. Now you’re not only going to have to deal with Driver A’s insurance company, but Driver B’s insurance company as well. That’s double the insurance companies pushing blame onto you. Hire an attorney to help prove who was actually at fault.

Someone ran a red light or caused a hit and run.

Hit and runs and unidentified drivers create another level of complexity to your claim. Not only do you have to deal with your insurance company, but now you may have to file a claim with the state’s uninsured motorist fund. An attorney will know how to cut through these tricky situations.

How Disputed Fault Will Impact Your Claim

Disputed fault can make or break a negligence car accident claim. When both parties can’t agree who caused the accident, it’s now a matter of who has better evidence.

Here’s the thing…

Florida just changed their laws to modify how fault affects compensation.

As of January 1, 2023 Florida shifted to using a modified comparative negligence statute when ruling claims. In basic terms this means that if you, as the victim, are found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, you no longer are eligible to collect damages. Not only that, but Florida also reduced the statute of limitations for car accident claims from four years to two years.

Meaning you no longer have two years to file a claim. You only have one!

Florida experienced over 381,000 total crashes in 2024. That resulted in over 3,100 fatalities across the state. Insurance companies process thousands of claims every year. They’re not looking out for your best interest. They’re looking to pay you as little as possible.

What to Do After a Serious Car Crash

After being involved in a serious car accident, you should:

• Seek medical attention. Always seek medical attention after an accident. Some injuries are invisible and can take days to appear. If you skip the doctor, the insurance company will use that against you when denying your claim.

• Document everything. Photos of the scene, damages, injuries, road conditions, etc. Get the contact information of any witnesses present, and make sure you obtain a copy of the police report as well.

• Do not give a recorded statement. Insurance companies will reach out to accident victims and ask if they can “take notes”. Basically, they’re asking you to give them a recorded statement. Do NOT give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster. Let your attorney speak on your behalf.

• Contact an attorney before accepting settlement. Insurance companies will always lowball victims on the first offer. Make sure you speak with an attorney before agreeing to accept any type of settlement.

As always…

Remember to gather as much information and evidence as possible right after the accident happens. Waiting will only benefit the insurance company.

Bringing It All Together

Any car accident claim can seem simple at the start. But once injured victims are faced with disputed fault, severe injuries, insurance company tricks, and limited time to file a claim things can quickly spiral out of control.

Here are the signs you need to watch out for:

• Injuries were severe and require long-term treatment
• Insurance company is delaying or lowballing your claim
• Fault between parties is disputed
• More than one driver is causing blame to be pushed onto you
• Florida’s statute of limitations is running out

If any of these situations apply to your case, you should hire an attorney immediately. The claims that seem simple are usually the claims that cause the most problems later on.

Don’t wait. Hire an attorney now.