I was stopped behind traffic when I was rear-ended on June 2nd. The other driver stated to the police officer that he did not see a turn signal and that I had no brake lights. The police officer did not ask me my about my brake lights or my turn signal, nor did he give me a citation. I did not know about the tail lights until the police report came out. Had the officer asked me about them, I would have demonstrated the lights worked for the police report. The other driver was cited for following too closely.
You only need to consider getting a lawyer if you; 1. get a ticket, 2.have an injury case of your own to prosecute, 3. do not have collision coverage and the other car insurance company will not pay 100% of the damages .
Yes, especially because of the issue with the police report saying your lights did not work. The insurance company for the driver that hit you will use it to blame you for the wreck and that will negatively impact their settlement negotiations.
If you were injured, then you should retain an attorney asap. If you were not injured, the only reason to hire an attorney is if you are blamed for the accident somehow. If you were not injured, speak to a representative of your own insurance company to let them know all of the details. That way, they do not pay any claim from the other party. You should also document everything and make a claim against the other driver's policy. If you start getting the run around, speak to an attorney then.
If you are injured, you should seek medical treatment and then the assistance of an attorney. A skilled personal injury attorney will be able to assist you through this stressful situation, and help you through the insurance claims process. Typically, personal injury attorneys will offer a free consultation to determine if you have a case. Best of luck!
