Why Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Early Can Make or Break Your Case

After an accident, your focus is naturally on healing. But while you're dealing with doctor visits, missed work, and emotional stress, time is ticking—and your legal rights may already be at risk.

At Fitch & Stahle Law Firm, we’ve seen firsthand how delays in hiring a personal injury attorney can result in lost evidence, missed deadlines, and reduced compensation. If you’ve been injured in a car crash, slip and fall, workplace incident, or any other accident in Nebraska or Iowa, the sooner you contact a lawyer, the better.

Here’s why reaching out early can make all the difference in your case—and how our team at Fitch & Stahle will protect your rights from day one.

1. Evidence Disappears Quickly

Accidents leave behind a trail of evidence—but that trail fades fast. Skid marks get washed away. Surveillance footage gets deleted. Witnesses forget details. Vehicles are repaired or totaled.

When you hire a personal injury lawyer early, we can immediately:

Secure accident scene evidence

Obtain video footage

Interview eyewitnesses

Preserve medical records and accident reports

Coordinate with investigators and experts

Waiting too long may mean critical proof disappears before your case even begins.

2. Insurance Companies Start Building a Case Against You Right Away

Insurance companies don’t wait. Within hours of an accident, they launch their own investigation—not to help you, but to limit their financial liability.

They may:

Contact you for a recorded statement

Ask you to sign a medical release

Offer a quick, lowball settlement

Delay your claim to pressure you financially

Without a lawyer on your side, these tactics can seriously hurt your ability to recover full compensation.

Fitch & Stahle Law Firm handles all communications with the insurance companies, ensuring you don’t say or sign anything that could be used against you later.

3. Deadlines (Statutes of Limitations) Vary and Can Be Short

Each state has strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims. These are known as statutes of limitations:

Nebraska: Generally 4 years from the date of the accident

Iowa: Generally 2 years from the date of the accident

But these timelines can vary depending on the type of case (e.g., wrongful death, government liability, medical malpractice), and exceptions are rare. If you miss the deadline, you may lose your right to file a lawsuit entirely.

An early consultation with our team ensures we file your claim well within the legal window—and begin preparing your case before it’s too late.

4. Your Medical Care Becomes Part of the Case

One of the biggest factors in any personal injury case is your medical treatment. From emergency care to long-term rehab, it’s critical that your injuries are well documented by licensed professionals.

When you hire a lawyer early, we can:

Help you find appropriate local care providers

Make sure your treatment is properly documented

Track your medical records, diagnoses, and progress

Prevent gaps in care that could hurt your claim

We work closely with trusted providers in South Sioux City, Sioux City, and throughout Siouxland to ensure your health and case are both supported from the start.

5. You May Be Entitled to More Compensation Than You Realize

When injury victims delay hiring a lawyer, they often settle for far less than they deserve. Why? Because they don’t know what they’re truly entitled to.

Our experienced personal injury attorneys evaluate all types of damages, including:

Medical bills (past and future)

Lost wages and loss of earning capacity

Pain and suffering

Emotional distress

Property damage

Permanent disability or disfigurement

Loss of enjoyment of life

We make sure nothing is left on the table—and that your claim reflects the full impact of your injury, not just the initial costs.

6. You Have Nothing to Lose

One of the most common reasons people delay hiring an attorney is cost. But at Fitch & Stahle Law Firm, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means:

You pay nothing upfront

We only get paid if we win your case

Consultations are always free

There’s absolutely no risk in calling us—and the benefits of having a skilled legal advocate on your side from day one are huge.

Why Trust Fitch & Stahle Law Firm?

✅ Local & Experienced: We’ve helped injury victims throughout South Sioux City, Sioux City, and across Nebraska and Iowa get the justice they deserve.

✅ Licensed in NE & IA: Whether your accident occurred on I-29, Highway 20, or a local road, we’ve got you covered across both states.

✅ Focused on You: We treat every client with care, attention, and transparency. You’re not just a case number—you’re a neighbor.

✅ Trial-Ready Advocacy: While many claims settle out of court, we’re fully prepared to litigate aggressively if needed.

Take the First Step Toward Justice Today

If you’ve been injured, don’t wait for things to “get worse” before getting legal help. The earlier you hire a lawyer, the stronger your case will be.

Let Fitch & Stahle Law Firm protect your health, your rights, and your financial future—starting today.

📍 Visit us at our South Sioux City office
📞 Call now for a free consultation: 402-494-3012
🌐 Learn more at fitch-stahlelaw.com