Getting injured in a car accident in Lehi can be a traumatic experience. Sadly, auto accidents are quite common in Utah. The aftermath can be even more overwhelming than the actual accident. Utah is a no-fault state. You will typically file a claim with your insurer after a car accident. You could hold the other at-fault driver responsible for your injuries in certain circumstances. It is best to hire a Lehi, UT car accident lawyer to evaluate your case. People often don’t seek legal representation because they are worried about the costs. How much do you need to hire a lawyer for your car crash in UT? Do you need an attorney in the first place? Here are the answers.
Should you hire an attorney?
The short answer is yes. Even when you are filing a basic first-party car accident claim, you need to know the worth of your case. You can only recover a certain amount through your PIP coverage, and therefore, it could be necessary to evaluate the case as a personal injury lawsuit. If the car accident resulted in a permanent disability or serious injury, you could file a civil lawsuit against the driver at fault. Not to forget, the insurance company is unlikely to put your interests first. Every claim is a loss for these companies, and the claims adjusters often try tactics to downplay the settlements. Get an attorney on your side to avoid these aspects.
The contingency arrangement
Unlike family lawyers or criminal attorneys, personal injury lawyers don’t work at an hourly rate. Most car accident attorneys in UT work on a contingency fee. This means that the lawyer only gets a fee, if you win a settlement. The fee is a percentage of the final settlement. Although the lawyer’s experience and complications of the case are key factors, the contingency fee doesn’t typically exceed 40%. What happens when the insurance company denies the claim, or you don’t recover anything? The lawyer cannot ask for a fee, no matter how hard they have worked on the case.
Call an attorney for the costs
Instead of worrying about the financial distress, talk to a lawyer soon after the car accident. The first meeting doesn’t have to cost anything, and you can get a realistic overview of the case and expected settlement. You can also ask the attorney about the costs of the case in depth, along with their fee.
