Car accidents have a nasty habit of happening when we are least expecting them. Most people are extremely unprepared to deal with the fallout from a car crash, and hiring an attorney quickly may be in their best interest.
Car accidents can be hectic, and injured victims might be so overwhelmed that they have no idea what to do next. First, you should seek emergency medical care right away. Once you get treatment, you should consider hiring an attorney as soon as possible. While you do not necessarily have to hire a lawyer immediately, you have a limited time to file a lawsuit. Retaining an attorney sooner rather than later is in your best interest. Hiring a lawyer sooner may help you get a head start on collecting evidence, identifying witnesses, and getting in front of any potential criminal investigations connected to the accident.
If you were injured in a recent car collision, you should speak to a lawyer about your case right away. Our New Jersey car accident lawyers can help you file a lawsuit, insurance claim, or explore other legal options. Call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769 for a free case review.
How Soon After a Car Accident Should I Hire an Attorney in New Jersey?
You should hire a car accident attorney as soon as you are physically able. Many injured victims spend time in the hospital, and contacting an attorney during this time might be hard. If you expect to be hospitalized for a long time, a friend or family member can contact a lawyer on your behalf. If you are feeling up to it, you can call a lawyer from the hospital.
It is perfectly understandable to focus on recovering from your injuries before contacting a lawyer. However, if you wait to call a lawyer, do not wait too long. The longer you wait, the more you risk losing evidence, witnesses, and other information that can be used to support your case. While some evidence might be collected by law enforcement and noted in police reports, other evidence might not be. Witnesses could move away, or physical evidence from the crash site might be lost.
There is no single right time to contact an attorney. Some cases are relatively simple, while others are complex, and an attorney might need more time to prepare. In any case, the sooner you speak to an attorney, the sooner that attorney can begin working on your lawsuit, collecting evidence, and tracking down witnesses. Our Jersey City car accident lawyers are prepared to assist you every step of the way.
How Long Do I Have to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in New Jersey?
While waiting until you have somewhat recovered before speaking to a lawyer is understandable, waiting too long puts you at risk of running afoul of the statute of limitations. Statutes of limitations are laws that place hard deadlines on when people can file lawsuits. Different types of cases might adhere to different statutes of limitations.
Under N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2(a), a personal injury lawsuit for injuries sustained in a car accident must be filed no more than 2 years after the accident. Our New Jersey car accident lawyers can help you prepare your case and file it on time.
The statute typically begins to run on the date of the car accident. Ideally, you should hire an attorney well before this 2-year deadline. While 2 years might seem like a long time, there is a lot to do and prepare for when filing a personal injury lawsuit, and time is shorter than you may realize.
If you wait to hire a lawyer until the deadline is close, your attorney might have to scramble to get your case together before hastily filing the lawsuit. You risk leaving out important details about your case if your attorney has to rush to get it filed on time. Correcting things like initial complaints is not always easy, so it is better to take time to make sure everything is right before filing.
If the 2-year deadline passes, you might not be able to file your lawsuit at all. Our Elizabeth car accident lawyers can help you try to toll the statute of limitations, but there is no guarantee.
Benefits of Hiring a New Jersey Car Accident Lawyer as Soon as Possible
Contacting a lawyer about your case after an accident might seem like just another chore to do on top of the various other expenses related to the crash. Speaking to a lawyer quickly might be challenging depending on how badly you are injured, but it may save you a lot of frustration down the line.
Hiring an attorney quickly often means thoroughly investigating your case before your complaint is drafted and filed. The complaint is the official legal document that starts your lawsuit. It must contain important details about the accident, the defendant, and your damages. It takes time to ensure this information is accurate, and the sooner you hire a lawyer, the sooner they can get started.
Hiring a lawyer as soon as possible allows witnesses to be tracked down before they relocate or forget important details. Physical evidence from the crash site is also more likely to be recovered if you hire a lawyer sooner.
Our Newark car accident lawyers can assess and monitor your injuries for purposes of calculating damages. Things like medical bills, lost income, property damage, physical pain, and emotional suffering need to be assessed. Waiting until much later to hire a lawyer might mean your damages are less than accurate, and you could miss out on compensation.
Call Our New Jersey Car Accident Lawyers for Assistance
If you were hurt in a car accident, your primary focus should be on recovering. However, you should speak with a lawyer as soon as you can. Our Paterson car accident lawyers are available for free case assessments. Call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769.
