Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Not always. If you walked away from a minor collision with no injuries and only vehicle damage, you can usually handle it yourself. You should speak to a lawyer if you were injured badly enough to need ongoing treatment, if fault is disputed, if the claim involves a government entity or a commercial vehicle, or if the insurer has already made you an offer.
When You Probably Do Not Need One
- Property damage only, with no injury — see auto property damage claims.
- A genuinely minor injury that resolved in days with no treatment beyond an urgent care visit, where the other driver's insurer has accepted fault and is covering the bills.
An honest firm will tell you when a case does not need them. We do.
When You Should Talk to Someone
The injury needs real treatment
Anything involving surgery, a fracture, a head injury, a spinal injury, ongoing therapy, or symptoms that have not resolved after a few weeks. The gap between a claim's first-offer value and its documented value is widest exactly here.
Fault is disputed or shared
If the other driver denies responsibility, if the police report is wrong or ambiguous, or if the adjuster is suggesting you contributed, the allocation of fault directly reduces what you recover.
A government entity or a commercial vehicle is involved
Government claims carry a 180-day notice requirement and a one-year filing deadline instead of the usual two years — see the Arizona statute of limitations. Commercial trucking cases bring federal regulations, driver logs and corporate defense counsel from day one.
The insurer has already made an offer
An early offer means they have valued the claim. It is worth knowing whether that valuation accounts for treatment you have not had yet, because accepting it closes the claim for good.
You are being asked for a recorded statement
You are generally not obliged to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement, and doing so before you know the extent of your injuries rarely helps you.
The Real Question Is Not the Fee
Because injury lawyers work on contingency, the comparison is not "settlement minus fee versus settlement." It is what the claim is worth handled properly versus what it is worth handled alone — after fault allocation, future care and available coverage are actually accounted for. See what a personal injury lawyer costs and what determines case value.
What to Ask Before You Sign With Any Firm
- Who will actually handle my case day to day — a lawyer, or a case manager?
- Are you a State Bar of Arizona certified specialist, and do you try cases?
- What is the contingency percentage, and is it calculated before or after costs?
- What happens to case costs if we do not recover?
- How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict or arbitration?
Hiring a Lawyer: Questions
Is it too late to hire a lawyer if I already started the claim myself?
Usually not, as long as you have not signed a settlement and release and the filing deadline has not passed. A lawyer can take over an open claim. Once you sign a release, however, the claim is finished.
What if I already gave a recorded statement?
It is not fatal. It becomes part of the file and has to be worked with rather than around, which is a reason to get advice sooner rather than later.
Will hiring a lawyer make the insurance company fight harder?
It changes how they price the file, which is the point. Insurers value claims partly on the realistic prospect of litigation, and a represented claim carries that prospect.
How soon after an accident should I call a lawyer?
As early as is practical. Evidence degrades quickly — footage is overwritten, vehicles are repaired or scrapped, and witness memory fades. Early advice also helps you avoid the mistakes that are hardest to undo later.
What does it cost to ask?
Nothing. Case reviews are free and carry no obligation, and we will tell you if we do not think you need a lawyer.
Talk to a Certified Specialist Before You Decide
Whether or not you end up hiring anyone, it is worth knowing where you stand. A free case review costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Call 602-535-1900 — we answer 24/7 — or contact us online. Cases are handled by Jack Hirsch, one of only 93 attorneys in Arizona certified by the State Bar as a specialist in injury and wrongful death litigation.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines and outcomes depend on the specific facts of your case — confirm both with a lawyer.
