If you’re dealing with injuries from a car accident, hiring a lawyer is almost always worth the investment. Attorneys can recover three to four times more compensation for represented victims.
After a car accident, you’re already handling medical appointments, vehicle repairs, and maybe even taking time off work. The last thing you want is another expense, especially when money is already tight. So when someone suggests hiring a lawyer, it’s natural to wonder if that’s necessary.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we’ve represented thousands of Arkansas car accident victims. As you consider hiring an attorney, ask yourself whether you can afford to shortchange yourself during your recovery.
Before you can make an informed decision, you have to understand what experienced car accident attorneys do and how they impact case outcomes. Let’s break down the real costs and benefits so you can decide what’s best for you and your family.
Accident victims with legal representation typically receive settlements that are three to four times higher than those who handle claims on their own. Even after paying attorney fees, most clients walk away with significantly more money than they would have received negotiating alone.
Why the dramatic difference? Insurance companies know who they’re dealing with. When an experienced attorney steps in, adjusters can’t use the same tactics that work on unrepresented claimants. Your lawyer knows the true value of your claim based on medical expenses, lost wages, future treatment needs, and pain and suffering. They won’t accept any lowball offer that falls short of covering your damages.
In Arkansas, an adjuster might offer an unrepresented accident victim $15,000 for their claim. That same claim, when handled by our attorneys, often settles for $50,000 or more. After legal fees, our client still takes home more than they would have on their own.
Car accident attorneys handle far more than phone calls with insurance companies. When you work with our skilled personal injury attorneys, we take care of:
Throughout the legal process, we keep you informed while you focus on healing and getting back to your normal life.
Arkansas car accident lawyers typically work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you receive compensation. The standard fee is typically 33 to 40 percent of your settlement, on the conservative end, with the percentage sometimes increasing if the case goes to trial.
At first glance, giving up 40 percent of your car accident settlement might seem like a lot. But look at what ends up in your pocket:
Handling Your Claim Alone:
Insurance company offers: $18,000
Your expenses for records, postage, etc.: -$500
What you take home: $17,500
Hiring an Attorney:
Settlement negotiated by your lawyer: $60,000
Attorney fee (40%): -$24,000
What you take home: $36,000
In this scenario, hiring an attorney means you walk away with $18,500 more than you would have on your own. And in cases where settlement amounts are capped by insurance coverages, lawyers can help put more money in your pocket by negotiating with medical providers during the course of your lawsuit.
That’s money that helps you weather the storm when bills are piling up and you’re worried about your family’s future.
Some situations clearly call for legal representation. If any of these apply to your case, you should speak with an attorney right away:
When your injuries are severe, need surgery, or result in permanent limitations or scarring, the stakes are too high to handle alone. These cases involve major compensation and complex medical evidence that requires legal expertise.
If the other driver or their insurance company claims you were partially or fully at fault, you need an attorney to fight for the truth. Arkansas uses a modified comparative fault system, so disputes about your percentage of fault can dramatically affect your compensation.
Accidents involving several vehicles or trucks create complicated legal situations with multiple insurance policies and potential defendants. These cases often include corporate defendants with teams of lawyers working to reduce their liability.
If an insurance company refuses to return your calls, denies a valid claim without explanation, or pressures you to settle before you’ve finished treatment, an attorney can hold them accountable and pursue extra damages.
When you’ll need future medical care or have permanent limitations affecting your ability to work, calculating fair compensation requires expertise to ensure your settlement covers future needs.
Insurance adjusters have one job: to pay out as little as possible on your car accident claim.
They’ll call you right after the accident when you’re still shaken up, hoping to get you to make statements they can twist against you later. Many will ask for recorded statements and medical authorizations that give them access to your medical history, hunting for anything they can blame for your current injuries. They’ll pressure you to accept a quick settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
These tactics work well against people handling claims on their own. But they fall flat when you have an experienced attorney who recognizes these games and shuts them down.
Insurance companies know this, which is why they often become more reasonable once you have legal representation. They’d rather deal with someone who doesn’t know their rights than face an attorney who does.
Recovering from a car accident is stressful enough without adding the burden of fighting with insurance companies. When you hire a car accident lawyer, you can focus your time and energy on healing.
Your attorney handles the paperwork, meets the deadlines, gathers the evidence, and deals with the insurance adjusters. You don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing or missing a critical deadline that could destroy your claim. Plus, you don’t have to spend hours on the phone with adjusters when you should be at physical therapy or spending time with your family.
We’re in your corner, handling the legal complexities while you concentrate on getting better.
Some of the biggest myths that keep accident victims from getting help:
Choosing to handle your claim without legal representation can lead to costly mistakes:
You might accept an offer that sounds reasonable but falls far short of what you deserve. Once you sign a release and cash that check, you can’t come back later when you realize the settlement wasn’t enough.
Arkansas law sets strict time limits for filing personal injury lawsuits. Miss these deadlines and you lose your right to compensation entirely, no matter how strong your case.
Insurance adjusters are skilled at getting you to say things that undermine your claim. Without legal guidance, you might downplay your injuries, accept partial blame, or make other statements that give them ammunition to deny or reduce your settlement.
You might not realize all the types of compensation you’re entitled to receive. Beyond medical bills and lost wages, you may be owed money for future treatment, permanent limitations, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Arkansas is our home, and we’ve spent decades learning exactly how insurance companies operate here. Our attorneys know the adjusters, the courts, and what it takes to secure fair compensation for our neighbors after serious accidents.
When you work with our law firm, we start by listening to your story. We give you an honest assessment—if we don’t think hiring a lawyer will benefit you, we’ll tell you right away. But if you have a case worth pursuing, we commit to fighting for every dollar you deserve.
Our approach focuses on thorough preparation and aggressive negotiation. We gather compelling evidence, work with medical experts who can explain your injuries, and document all your damages. When we present your claim to the insurance company, they know we’ve built a strong case and we’re prepared to go to trial if necessary.
We’ve helped Arkansas families recover millions in compensation to cover medical expenses, replace lost income, and help them put their lives back together after devastating crashes on I-40, Highway 71, and roads throughout the state.
At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we work on a No Fee Guarantee®, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. We offer free consultations where we can review your situation and help you understand your options.
Call us at (800) 434-4800 to speak with an experienced Arkansas car accident attorney 24/7.
Yes. Accident victims with legal representation receive higher settlements than those who negotiate alone. Even after paying attorney fees, most clients take home more money than they would have received handling the claim themselves.
Lawyers know how to calculate the full value of your claim and negotiate effectively with insurance companies trying to minimize what they pay out.
Not every accident needs legal representation. You can probably handle a minor car accident with no injuries on your own. But even minor accidents can involve injuries that develop over time.
We recommend at least speaking with a car accident injury attorney for a free consultation. We’ll give you an honest answer about whether hiring a lawyer makes sense for your situation.
Case timelines vary depending on the complexity of your injuries and whether the insurance company negotiates fairly. Many straightforward car accident cases settle within a few months. More complex cases involving serious injuries or disputed liability may take longer.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer typically doesn’t make your case take longer—it just helps ensure you get fair compensation when it resolves.
It’s not too late to hire a lawyer, even if you’ve already started communicating with the adjuster. Many clients come to us after they’ve tried handling things themselves and realized the insurance company wasn’t treating them fairly.
Just be careful not to accept any settlement offers or sign any releases before speaking with an attorney. Once you accept a settlement, you can’t reopen your claim later. Give us a call, and we’ll provide a free case evaluation.
Arkansas is our home and we want to make sure our neighbors and friends are supported. With offices throughout Arkansas – Little Rock, Springdale, Conway, Hot Springs, Bryant, Jacksonville, and Jonesboro – our personal injury lawyers are easily accessible when you need help.
Our experienced injury attorneys are here to advocate for you.
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