Getting into a car accident creates immediate stress and confusion. You face medical bills, insurance calls, and questions about your rights while dealing with injuries. One question matters most: when should you contact a personal injury lawyer? The answer is simple. Contact a lawyer right after the accident, before speaking with insurance companies.
At Jae Lee Law, we handle car accident cases across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Middlesex counties. Our Fort Lee office has nearly 30 years of experience and over 100 years of combined legal knowledge on our team. We speak English, Korean, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian to serve our diverse community. Our team will fight proactively for your rights and go to trial when insurance companies refuse fair settlements.
Why Timing Matters in New Jersey Car Accident Cases
New Jersey law puts strict time limits on filing injury claims. You have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline sounds generous, but building a strong case takes time. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and injuries may not show up immediately.
Insurance companies start working against you from day one. They contact you quickly, hoping to record statements or offer quick settlements before you understand your rights. Adjusters sound friendly and helpful, but they work to protect their company’s profits. Early lawyer involvement stops these tactics and protects your interests.
Your medical treatment creates a paper trail that affects your case. Delayed treatment or gaps in care let insurance companies argue your injuries came from something other than the accident. A lawyer guides you through proper documentation and connects you with trusted medical providers who treat accident injuries.
What Happens When You Call a Lawyer Too Late After a Car Accident?
Waiting to hire a lawyer creates problems that weaken your case.
Depletion of Physical Evidence
Physical evidence at the accident scene vanishes quickly. Skid marks fade, debris gets cleared, and surveillance footage gets recorded over. Police reports may contain errors that become harder to fix over time.
Insurers Can Use Delays Against You
Insurance companies use delays against you. They may claim you weren’t seriously injured because you waited weeks or months to hire a lawyer. They question why you need legal help if your case is straightforward. These arguments sound reasonable to juries who don’t understand insurance company tactics.
New Jersey follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you share more than 50% of fault for the accident, you receive nothing. Insurance companies investigate accidents to shift blame onto victims. They interview witnesses, review social media, and build arguments against you while you wait to get legal help.
How a Fort Lee Personal Injury Lawyer Protects Your Rights
A personal injury lawyer takes immediate action to preserve evidence and protect your claim. We send preservation letters to businesses and government agencies to save surveillance footage and maintenance records. We do the following when building a case for our clients:
- Photograph accident scenes
- Interview witnesses
- Reconstruct what happened before, during, and after the crash
These steps must be completed quickly before evidence disappears.
Your lawyer handles all communication with insurance companies. You avoid saying things that hurt your case. Insurance adjusters often ask questions designed to get you to admit fault or downplay injuries. Simple statements like “I feel fine” or “I didn’t see the other car” become weapons against you. We know what to say and what information to share.
Medical treatment connects directly to your case value. We work with doctors who treat car accident injuries and document your condition properly. Some injuries like whiplash, concussions, and soft tissue damage don’t show up on X-rays immediately. Proper medical evaluation catches these injuries before they become chronic problems.
Get Help With Your New Jersey Car Accident Claim from Jae Lee Law Today
Car accidents disrupt your life when you least expect it. You need someone fighting for you while you focus on recovery. Our team at Jae Lee Law has secured millions of dollars for New Jersey car accident victims through nearly 30 years of dedicated representation. We invest in first-rate investigation tools, demonstrative evidence, and trial materials to build the strongest cases possible.
We believe that trust is earned through action, not promises. Our clients choose us because we deliver results while treating each person with the dignity and care they deserve. From our first meeting to the final settlement, we shoulder the legal burden so you can focus on recovery. We advance all costs, so you pay nothing up front.Contact us today for a consultation about your car accident case.