Why ‘Minor’ Accidents Can Still Require a Lawyer

The first response of most people who are victims of a minor accident like a fender bender in a mall parking lot is, “It’s not serious – I’m sure insurance will sort it out quickly,” not, “I need a lawyer.” 

In many cases, they’re right, but there are times when hiring a car accident lawyer after a minor crash is in your best interests. 

The trick is knowing when and why you need dependable legal representation.

What Counts as a Minor Accident?

The most common examples of minor accidents include driveway or parking lot fender benders, sideswipes that don’t cause much impact, slow head-on collisions, low-speed rear-end collisions, and bumps or scrapes that result in small dents, scratches, or other minor damage. 

However, you won’t find the term ‘minor accident’ in insurance documentation or police reports. Instead, you’ll see references to minor injury accidents and property damage-only accidents.

Minor Injury Accidents

As the term suggests, minor injury accidents are those that result in injuries that do not incapacitate the driver. While there’s no need to call an ambulance for life-saving treatment, you might need to visit a doctor, clinic, or emergency room for a quick assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. In most cases, minor injuries sustained in the crash heal quickly and leave no lasting effects. 

That said, minor injuries can turn into major financial headaches. 

If you hastily accepted the initial offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company or your own insurance company shortly after the accident, you may realize too late that it doesn’t cover all your losses. 

After all, insurance providers are notorious for underpaying claims to protect their profits. Hiring a lawyer can help prevent this from happening.

Property Damage-Only Accidents

Property-damage-only accidents are minor crashes that result only in property damage, such as dents, scratches, damaged paintwork, a broken taillight, or a bent wheel rim. In most cases, drivers who’ve been involved in one of these minor accidents can easily quantify the damage by using body shop estimates or repair bills, making filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance provider relatively simple and straightforward. These claims don’t always end in a fair settlement, making it necessary to hire a lawyer.

Most accidents on US roads fall into this category. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, property damage-only accidents accounted for around 72% of all crashes reported to the police in 2023. 

Minor Accidents Can Be Misleading

Referring to minor injury or property damage-only accidents as ‘minor accidents’ because they don’t result in a written-off vehicle or loss of life or limb can be misleading. 

The outcomes may be more serious than you, the medics, the mechanic or body shop worker, or the insurance provider first thought. A lawyer can protect your rights in these situations.

Minor Injuries with Major Outcomes

Sometimes, injuries common in minor injury crashes, such as soft tissue injuries like sprains or whiplash, aren’t immediately apparent. As a result, you might not feel the need to get checked out by a doctor or medic immediately after the accident.

This delay could see the insurance company downplay your injuries or say they were pre-existing and undervalue or deny your claim. 

Another issue is that, depending on the nature of your injuries, you may experience long-term discomfort, pain, or mobility issues that only begin a few days or weeks after the accident. This means spending money on medication, physical therapy, or supportive garments such as ankle, knee, wrist, or neck braces. 

You may also need to take time off work for physical therapy, doctor’s visits, or recovery time, which can negatively impact your earnings.

Vehicle Damage More Serious than First Thought

Drivers involved in a minor accident often assume the damage to their vehicle is cosmetic and ask the body shop for a quote to repair a dent, a broken taillight, or a paint scratch. 

However, a more thorough inspection might reveal chassis damage, alignment problems, issues with the engine or gas tank, or other damage that could put your safety at risk or require much more expensive repairs than first thought. 

The At-Fault Driver May Contest Liability

Another issue that often arises after minor accidents is that of the at-fault driver contesting liability. They may make untrue claims about you, such as that you were distracted while driving, or they may deny responsibility altogether. 

This situation can be exacerbated if you did not report the accident to the police or if the police created an unclear report about the incident.

If the at-fault driver contests liability, you could be faced with a drawn-out claims process and added stress. If you can’t prove your side of the story, the insurance company may undervalue or deny your claim. 

A Minor Car Accident and a Major Difference

Hiring a lawyer can help protect you from these various situations that can arise after a ‘minor’ car accident. 

For starters, part of your lawyer’s job is to protect your rights, among which is the right to seek compensation for economic damages, such as medical or vehicle repair bills, and for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. Your lawyer can also ensure that you don’t accept an undervalued settlement offer from the insurance company or give in to pressures to drop your claim.

Your lawyer can handle every aspect of your case. They can investigate the accident using traffic camera footage, dashcam footage, medical experts, medical records, and accident reconstructionists. They’ll also be able to calculate the full value of your claim, taking your current and projected future losses into account.

In addition, they can compose demand letters, negotiate with insurance companies, file your claim within the period allowed by your state’s statute of limitations, and, if necessary, represent you in court. 

The result usually is a fair settlement reached much faster than if you tried to handle the claims process by yourself.

Let a Lawyer Protect You Following a Minor Accident

The last thing you want to do after being involved in a minor accident where you were not at fault is assume that you’re physically OK and that your vehicle only suffered surface damage.

You also don’t want to assume that the insurance claim process will be straightforward or fair. 

Having a lawyer on your side ensures that nothing is overlooked and that you’re not pressured into accepting less than you deserve.

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