The cases where you need one
If your medical bills exceed $2,000, if any treatment included diagnostic imaging or surgery, if you missed more than a week of work, if you have any permanent impairment, or if there is any dispute about who was at fault — call an attorney. The expected recovery, even after the contingency fee, is typically several times what you would receive on your own.
The cases where you might not
Minor fender-benders with no injury beyond mild soreness, no missed work, and clear liability against a fully insured driver may not require an attorney. Even then, a free consultation costs you nothing.
What an attorney actually does
Investigates liability, gathers and preserves evidence, deals with insurance adjusters so you do not, calculates the full value of your case (including future medical and lost earning capacity), negotiates the demand and any settlement, files and litigates if needed, and resolves health-insurance and government liens before disbursing funds.
The free consultation is genuinely free
Personal injury attorneys do not charge for the initial meeting. Use it. Bring the police report and any medical records you have, ask about specific recent cases like yours, and walk away if anything feels off.